WRITTEN QUESTION E-3442/03 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Discrimination amongst athletes.
Date: 2003-11-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: economic sanctions, position of women, sexual discrimination, sport, sports body

C 78 E/548

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

As part of measures against racism, are there any plans to formulate a target group policy in the near
future which will specifically tackle hatred of
Jews among immigrants? Which approach does the
Commission favour in this regard? What appropriations are allocated to this?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2004)

The Community Action Programme to combat discrimination (1)
is aimed at promoting measures to
combat any direct or indirect, single or multiple discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or
beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation. Within the limits of the Community’s powers, the programme
with a budget of almost EUR 100 million for the period 2001-2006, supports and supplements the efforts
made at Community level and in the Member States to encourage measures to prevent and combat
discrimination. One of its objectives is to promote and disseminate the values and practices underlying the
combating of discrimination, including by means of awareness-raising activities. Groups who are potential
victims of discrimination are targeted through the full range of activities under the Programme, including
of course, members of the Jewish community, Muslims and immigrants.

Concerns about reports of the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in the Union led the Commission to
organise, with the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, a series of Round Tables on
anti-Semitism and Islamophobia earlier in 2003.

The Monitoring Centre is, of course, responsible for monitoring racist and xenophobic incidents within the
Union. The Centre is currently preparing a study on anti-Semitism in the Union which it plans to publish
in the first quarter of 2004.

On the other hand, adequate criminal law measures form an important tool for combating racism and
xenophobia. Apart from their punitive aspect, they have a significant dissuasive force. In this respect, the
Commission tabled in November 2001 a proposal for a Council Framework Decision on combating racism
and xenophobia (2).

The purpose of the proposed framework decision is twofold:

(1)

to ensure that racism and xenophobia are punishable in all Member States by effective, proportionate
and dissuasive criminal penalties, which can give rise to extradition or surrender and

(2)

to improve and encourage judicial co-operation by removing potential obstacles.

This instrument, if adopted and implemented in national laws would obviously apply to individuals or
legal persons who practice criminal behaviour regardless of whether they belong to any population group.

(1) Council Decision 2000/750/EC of 27 November 2000, OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.
(2) OJ C 75 E, 26.3.2002.

(2004/C 78 E/0583)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3442/03

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 November 2003)

Subject: Discrimination amongst athletes

Paragraph 14 of the European Parliament resolution of 5 June 2003 on women and sport (P5_TA-
PROV(2003)0269) ‘calls on government authorities to systematically take account of gender equality in
their sports policies, particularly in the granting of subsidies’.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/549

The Second International ‘Women and Sport: Action for Change’ Congress, organised by the Portuguese
‘Women and Sport’ Association, held in Porto at the beginning of this November, saw Portuguese women
athletes denounce the existing discrimination between men and women in sport, particularly in the
awarding of prizes in athletics trials where men and women are competing jointly. This unacceptable
situation is to be met with, all the time, in Portugal.

What measures does the Commission intend to take to put an end to the discrimination to which women
athletes continue to be subjected?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2004)

The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the answer given to
Mrs Breyer’s Question E-3353/03 (1), which sets out the Community’s powers in relation to implemen-
tation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in sport.

(1) See page 271.

(2004/C 78 E/0584)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3446/03

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(13 November 2003)

Subject: Authorisation for aid in connection with a biological rest period in Sicily in 2002

In March 2002, pursuant to Regional Decree (D.A.) No 22/Fisheries, the Sicilian regional authorities
notified the Commission regarding the granting of financial aid to fishermen in connection with the
biological rest period in 2002.

Subsequent and wholly justified requests from the Commission for further information considerably
delayed the reply from Brussels on the matter.

The aid provided for in the aforementioned decree was based on the legislation in force at the time,
namely Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 (1).

The Commission surprisingly chose to take its decision on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 2369/2002 (2)
of 20 December 2002, which substantially amended Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999.

The failure to authorise the provision of aid in connection with the biological rest period in 2002 is
causing major financial problems for many fisheries operators who have implemented the rest period.

Given the above, would the Commission not agree that it should consider the request from the Sicilian
regional authorities for 2002 to be compatible with Community law, so as not to add to the financial
difficulties already being faced by Sicilian fisheries operators who are also being penalised by the measures
provided for in the Community fisheries action plan?

(1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999, p. 10.
(2) OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 49.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2003)

The Commission can inform the Honourable Member that the situation described in his question was the
subject of a letter from the Commission’s Director-General for Fisheries in July of this year in which he
referred to the relevant sections of the Community rules (1) and to the Guidelines for the examination of
State aid to fisheries and aquaculture.