Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

[**Avis juridique important**](../../../editorial/legal_notice.htm)

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# 92000E3312

**WRITTEN QUESTION P-3312/00 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Council. Agenda for the Biarritz summit and the paedophile crisis.** 
  
*Official Journal 136 E , 08/05/2001 P. 0220 - 0221*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3312/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Council

(20 October 2000)

Subject: Agenda for the Biarritz summit and the paedophile crisis

The need to bring European citizens closer to the institutions makes it essential for the authorities to tackle those problems that affect people most directly. While the public are, of course, interested in the reform of the institutions and the future enlargement of the Union, the authorities should also focus on day-to-day issues that are of concern to the public. The unfortunate issue of paedophilia, for example, has now assumed worrying proportions. The discovery of paedophile and pornographic sites on the Internet, some of which use the words European Union in their titles, should prompt the Heads of State and Government meeting in Biarritz to take note of the spread of this problem and finally to put in place regulations governing the use of telematics equipment.

Does the Council not consider it necessary to draw the attention of the Heads of State or Government to:

1. The seriousness of the constant increase in paedophile Internet sites, the contents of which contravene the legislation of the Member States,

2. The need for regulations to prevent free access to such sites,

3. The need for regulations prohibiting such sites from using in their titles the names of persons without their knowledge or the names of institutions (Commission, European Union, etc.) as an underhand way of attracting users who do not normally visit such sites?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3285/00 and P-3312/00

(20/21 December 2000)

As already stated in replies to previous questions on the subject(1), combating the sexual exploitation of children, and in particular child pornography on the Internet, is a matter of great importance to the Council, as confirmed by its adoption of a Decision on 29 May 2000 to combat child pornography on the Internet(2).

That Decision is the result of an initiative by Austria, and aims to combat the production, processing, distribution and possession of child pornography material and promote the effective investigation and prosecution of offences in this area.

The Honourable Member will note that when adopting that Decision, the Council made the following statement:

The Council welcomes the opinion of the European Parliament, published as Legislative Resolution on the initiative of the Republic of Austria with a view to adopting a Council Decision to combat child pornography on the Internet. In addition to the amendments which have been incorporated by the Council in the Decision, the opinion raises a number of important issues relating to substantive criminal law and criminal procedure. The Council, mindful of the urgency to take immediate measures against child pornography on the Internet, declares its willingness to examine such questions in the light of the Joint Action 97/154/JHA of 24 February 1997 and on the basis of proposals which are expected in the future.

(1) See in particular the reply to Oral Question No H-0654/00 on illicit use of the internet, put to the Council by Brian Crowley.

(2) OJ L 138, 9.6.2000, p. 1.

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