WRITTEN QUESTION E-0489/04 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Gender violence in the EU: need for European legislation.
Date: 2004-02-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, action programme, domestic violence, gender equality, position of women

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/605

As regards the impact of enlargement on the dairy industry in EU-25, the Commission has published
a report based on statistical information available at the beginning of May 2003 (1). According to this
report, production of butter after enlargement would decline (mainly in EU-15) from 2,16 million tonnes
(t) in 2004 to 2,03 million tonnes in 2010. In the same period, cheese production would expand by
0,5 million tonnes (mainly in EU-15). Nevertheless, a persistent market surplus for butter and skimmilk
powder (SMP) would cause prices for these products to remain at relatively low levels in EU-25. Average
producer prices for milk would develop less positively than in EU-15 without enlargement.
In the
meantime, Council and Parliament took important decisions to reform the milk sector. The Commission is
presently updating the report mentioned above to take those new developments into consideration.

(1) Prospects for agricultural markets in the European Union. 2003-2010. European Commission, DG AGRI, June,

2003.

(2004/C 84 E/0680)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0489/04

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Gender violence in the EU: need for European legislation

(23 February 2004)

According to data provided by the state network of feminist organisations against gender violence, the
number of cases of ill-treatment in Spain increased in the period 1999-2003, and there were 315 deaths
caused by gender violence.

Other data show that 98 % of victims of violence in the EU are women, and one in five women has been
the victim of physical violence from a family member.

The Commission has been undertaking initiatives addressed to the Member States with the aim of resolving
this problem since 1996 (European campaign to raise awareness of violence against women in the EU;
Community framework strategy on gender equality, adopted on 7 June 2000, whose objectives include
action to strengthen and support the fight against and prevention of violence against women; the Daphne
and other initiatives), but it is clear that many states are failing to take adequate action, and the
Commission is not responsible for the adoption of legislation on protecting women against all forms of
ill-treatment.

In view of the passive attitude of certain states such as Spain in the face of a serious problem with a major
impact on public opinion, does the Commission intend to draw up proposals for legislation aimed at
combating and drastically reducing gender violence at European level?

Answer given by Mr Dimas on behalf of the Commission

(13 April 2004)

Combating violence against women is one of the fundamental issues on the European social agenda.
Especially domestic violence exists in all countries and across all social classes.

The Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 included among its strategic objectives
the fight to eradicate violence against women, covering in particular physical, sexual and psychological
violence within the family. The European Union and its Member States have established policies to
respond to this call and to fight violence against women through various types of actions.

In response to a series of resolutions adopted by the Parliament, the Commission ran the European
awareness-raising campaign on violence against women ‘Zero Tolerance Campaign’ in 1999/2000, with
particular emphasis on domestic violence.

C 84 E/606

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Various measures have been taken by the Member States in the last years, partly an impact also of the
1999/2000 European campaign: most of the countries have created 24 hour ‘helplines’ and emergency
centres, in addition to existing services like women’s shelters. Others have organised national awareness
campaigns as well as training measures for professionals dealing with incidents of domestic violence. There
were also a number of improvements in law or law enforcement in the Member States, in particular
including restraining orders, but also concerning criminal
regarding cautionary and police measures,
proceedings.

As for the Commission, it does not intend to draw up proposals for legislation aimed at combating and
drastically reducing gender violence at European level given the absence of an appropriate legal basis in the
Treaty. It should be noted, however, that on the basis of Article 152 of the Treaty relating to public health,
a number of actions have been undertaken,
in particular the Daphne Programme, which is the most
important preventive action programme to fight violence against children, young people and women in
the Community.

Daphne is based on the recognition of violence as a crime. It tackles this phenomenon by funding actions
for the prevention and the protection of victims. Violence is understood in the widest possible sense, from
sexual abuse to domestic violence, from commercial exploitation to bullying in schools, from trafficking to
discrimination-based violence against handicapped, minority, migrant or other vulnerable people.

Since 1997, 303 projects have been funded, of which 61 % are dealing with violence against women.
Details of all those projects can be found in the database posted on-line on the Daphne website: (http://
europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/funding/daphne/funding_daphne_en.htm).

Also, on this website, more information such as statistics and analysis of the achieved results and their
impacts is available.

More recently, in the context of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, seven indicators on
domestic violence were adopted by the Council in December 2002, which can be used as an on-going
basis to regularly review the progress achieved in the Member States in combating domestic violence.

(2004/C 84 E/0681)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0491/04

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: Land Use Plans Implementation Law in Valencia (cid:1) LRAU

Is the Commission aware that

1.
the Valencia regional authorities apply the Land Use Plans
Implementation Law (Ley reguladora de la actividad urbanística (cid:1) LRAU), under which it is possible to
expropriate property owners in the public interest?

Is the Commission aware that owners of houses receive disproportionately small amounts of

2.
compensation for their property?

3.
Is the Commission aware that there is no provision for interested parties to express their views and
that the occupiers (cid:1) mostly retired foreigners from all over the European Union (cid:1) receive little or no
information about the authorities’ plans?

4.

Does this law violate the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union?

5.

If so, will the Commission take action to change this situation?