WRITTEN QUESTION E-3651/03 by Cees Bremmer (PPE-DE)and Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Poor working conditions for au pairs in the Netherlands.
Date: 2003-12-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, labour law, legal working time, moonlighting, non-standard employment, temporary employment agency, working conditions

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/623

The Commission is assisting, through the LIFE-Nature programme, the national efforts to improve the
conservation status of the species. There have been, over the last decade, a large number of LIFE projects,
both in Spain and Portugal, targeting the Iberian lynx. These projects have included basic inventories and
ecological and biological research on the species, but also improvement or re-creation of habitats,
including corridors, and particularly repopulation of potential
this species
constitutes the main prey for the lynx. The other main action consisted of population monitoring and
surveillance of lynx areas.

lynx areas with rabbits;

A captive breeding programme is presently under way in Spain,
following an agreement with the
Portuguese authorities. Community financing for this programme was not requested, although some
marginal activities related to the programme have been included in some of the above-mentioned LIFE
projects.

La Breña II reservoir is proposed to be built on River Guadiato, close to River Guadalquivir. The dam will
be located 120 metres from the existing ‘La Breña I’ reservoir. Part of the existing ‘La Breña I’ reservoir is
within the Natura 2000 site ‘Sierra de Hornachuelos’. ‘La Breña II’ reservoir will completely flood ‘La Breña
I’ reservoir. The new reservoir will occupy 626 hectares of the Natura 2000 site, which is 1,05 % of its
surface. This reservoir is not located in Sierra Morena.

According to the available information Spain has proposed 2 615 102 hectares as Sites of Community
Importance (SCI) to protect the Iberian Lynx. Specifically the Regional government of Andalucia has
proposed 1 356 845 hectares (36 sites, pSCI).

The compensatory measures plan has received a favourable statement of
Environment of Andalucia and the Spanish Ministry of Environment.
ordination with Iberian Lynx Group, the Doñana Research Station and the University of Córdoba.

the Regional Ministry of
It has been elaborated in co-

The Ministry of Environment, Office of the State Secretary of Water and Coast, has asked the Commission
for an opinion pursuant to Article 6.4 of the Habitat Directive (1), because of the absence of alternative
solutions and for imperative reasons of overriding public interest, including that of a social or economic
nature. It is foreseen that the Commission will shortly deliver its opinion in relation to this project.

(1) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 July 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2004/C 78 E/0658)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3651/03

by Cees Bremmer (PPE-DE)
and Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject: Poor working conditions for au pairs in the Netherlands

Is the Commission aware of the poor working conditions which apply to 70 % of au pairs in the
Netherlands, who are compelled to perform too much, and excessively heavy, domestic work and to care
for children for more than the permitted 30 hours per week, as revealed by a report by the Netherlands
Ministry of Justice which is as yet unpublished but will be published shortly (according to the Volkskrant
newspaper of 25 November 2003)?

Is the Commission further aware that the proliferation of agencies on the Internet, the lack of any quality
certification system for such agencies, the protracted visa procedures and the high costs, due to which
many au pairs are employed illegally,
lead to a situation in which au pairs’ rights are insufficiently
respected?

Is the Commission aware that these circumstances do not accord with its own recommendation to the
Member States to sign and ratify at the earliest opportunity the Council of Europe’s European Agreement
on au pair placement of 24 November 1969, which lays down rules, inter alia, on working conditions and
the setting-up of national consultative and information bodies?

C 78 E/624

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Can the Commission establish to what extent au pairs are similarly exploited in other Member States?

How will the Commission tackle this practice, bearing in mind, inter alia, the growing uncertainty about
the safeguarding of au pairs’ rights (cid:1) irrespective of their own responsibility (cid:1) and in view of the
Commission’s duty to encourage close cooperation among the Member States in the field of social policy
(Article 136 in conjunction with Article 140 of the EC Treaty)?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 January 2004)

There is no specific Community legislation aimed at au pairs. In so far as they are considered to be
workers according to the definition in the country where they work, they are, in general, covered by the
existing labour law directives.

The Commission has through Recommendation 85/64/EEC of 20 December 1984 (1), recommended that
Member States sign and ratify the European agreement of the Council of Europe of 24 November 1969 on
au pair placement. Based on the information the Commission has received so far regarding the situation of
au pairs, it has not been considered necessary to take any further specific actions.

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.1985.

(2004/C 78 E/0659)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3660/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(2 December 2003)

Subject: Tragic state of health of children in Chechnya

Mr Hasan Gadayev, head of the maternity and child health department of the pro-Russian Chechen
administration, has stated that more than 80 % of the children in Chechnya have health problems. This
information was made public as part of a health survey covering the entire territory of the Russian
Federation during which 320 000 children underwent routine medical check-ups in Chechnya. According
to Mr Gadayev, the problems are mostly of a neurological and psychological nature, although many
children also suffer from anaemia and endocrinological and gastrointestinal problems. Furthermore, more
than 40 % of children suffer from pathologies affecting sight and hearing, while 70 % of those examined
have tuberculosis. In the long list of adverse factors affecting the health of youngsters, Mr Gadayev
emphasised the interruption of their schooling, the existence of overcrowded classrooms and the lack of
hot meals and exercise. He concluded by pointing out that the consequences of the war will unfortunately
have a major impact on the health of Chechen children for many years. Although entirely familiar with
this disastrous situation, neither the Commissioner for humanitarian aid nor the President of
the
Commission have ever felt it necessary to visit Chechnya in order to make an accurate assessment of needs
and devise possible measures with a view to finding solutions to such a tragedy.

Does the President or a Member of the Commission plan to visit Chechnya before the end of the present
Commission’s term of office in order to gather all the information necessary for framing an extraordinary
Union initiative capable of providing practical answers to the humanitarian tragedy taking place there?
In particular, what specific measures does the Commission at long last plan to take in order to provide
effective help for Chechen children who are facing a disastrous situation in terms of health? Lastly, does it
plan to recommend that Member States adopt a joint measure aimed at organising an extraordinary
humanitarian operation with the objective of accommodating thousands of Chechen children in need of
special care in the health structures of the EU Member States?