title: Komission asetus (EY) N:o 2450/1999, annettu 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999, tavallisen vehnän enimmäisvientituen vahvistamisesta asetuksessa (EY) N:o 1707/1999 tarkoitetun tarjouskilpailun osana

eurovoc_concepts:
award of contract
common wheat
export refund

text: 19. 11. 1999 FI Euroopan yhteisöjen virallinen lehti L 298/11 KOMISSION ASETUS (EY) N:o 2450/1999, annettu 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999, tavallisen vehnän enimmäisvientituen vahvistamisesta asetuksessa (EY) N:o 1707/1999 tarkoitetun tarjouskilpailun osana EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN KOMISSIO, joka ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen, ottaa huomioon vilja-alan yhteisestä markkinajärjestelystä 30 päivänä kesäkuuta 1992 annetun neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1766/92 (1), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 1253/1999 (2), ottaa huomioon neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1766/92 soveltamista koskevista tietyistä yksityiskohtaisista säännöistä vientitukien myöntämisen ja häiriötilanteessa toteutettavien toimenpiteiden osalta vilja-alalla 29 päivänä kesäkuuta 1995 annetun komission asetuksen (EY) N:o 1501/95 (3), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 2513/ 98 (4), ja erityisesti sen 4 artiklan, sekä katsoo, että 1) 2) kaikkiin kolmansiin maihin vietävän tavallisen vehnän vientitukea ja/tai vientimaksua koskeva tarjouskilpailu on avattu komission asetuksella (EY) N:o 1707/1999 (5), sellaisena kuin se on muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 2011/1999 (6), asetuksen (EY) N:o 1501/95 7 artiklassa säädetään, että komissio voi ja asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1766/92 23 artiklassa säädettyä enimmäisvientituen menettelyä toimitettujen tietojen perusteella noudattaen päättää vahvistamisesta ottaen huomioon asetuksen (EY) N:o 1501/95 1 artiklassa tarkoitetut perusteet; tässä tapauk- sessa tarjouskilpailun voittaa se tarjouksen tekijä tai ne tarjousten tekijät, joiden tarjous on enimmäisvientituen suuruinen tai sitä alhaisempi, sekä se tarjouksen tekijä tai ne tarjousten tekijät, joiden tarjous koskee vientiveroa, 3) 4) edellä tarkoitettujen perusteiden soveltamisesta kyseisen viljan tämänhetkisiin markkinoihin seuraa, että enim- mäisvientitueksi olisi vahvistettava 1 artiklassa mainittu määrä, ja tässä asetuksessa säädetyt toimenpiteet ovat viljan hallin- tokomitean lausunnon mukaiset, ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN ASETUKSEN: 1 artikla Asetuksen (EY) N:o 1707/1999 tarkoittaman tarjouskilpailun puitteissa 12 ja 18 päivän marraskuuta 1999 välisenä aikana toimitettujen tarjousten osalta tavallisen vehnän enimmäisvien- titueksi vahvistetaan 39,29 EUR/t. Tämä asetus tulee voimaan 19 päivänä marraskuuta 1999. 2 artikla Tämä asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, ja sitä sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa jäsenval- tioissa. Tehty Brysselissä 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999. Komission puolesta Franz FISCHLER Komission jäsen (1) EYVL L 181, 1. 7. 1992, s. 21. (2) EYVL L 160, 26. 6. 1999, s. 18. (3) EYVL L 147, 30. 6. 1995, s. 7. (4) EYVL L 313, 21. 11. 1998, s. 16. (5) EYVL L 201, 31. 7. 1999, s. 55. (6) EYVL L 248, 21. 9. 1999, s. 23


title: Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the 'Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways'

eurovoc_concepts:
Council of the European Union
EC Directive
common transport policy
rail transport

formats: html pdf print

text: C 57/40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on: — the ‘Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’s railways’, — the ‘Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings’, — the ‘Proposal for a Council Directive relating to the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying of charges for the use of railway infrastructure and safety certification’ and — the ‘Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’s railways’ (2000/C 57/06) THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, having regard to the list of Commission proposals pending at 1 May 1999 for which the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam entails a change of legal basis and/or procedure (SEC(1999) 581 final); having regard to the Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’s railways and the Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings and the Proposal for a Council Directive relating to the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying of charges for the use of railway infrastructure and safety certification [COM(1998) 480 final — 98/0265 — 98/0266 — 98/0267 (SYN)]; having regard to the Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’s railways [COM(95) 337 final — 95-0205 COD ex(SYN)]; having regard to the decision taken by the Council, announced in its letter of 3 May 1999, to consult the Committee of the Regions on this matter under Article 265, first paragraph, and Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community; having regard to the Bureau decision of 15 July 1999 to issue an opinion on this subject, and to ask Commission 3 — Trans-European Networks, Transport, Information Society — to prepare it; having regard to the Draft Opinion (CdR 58/99 rev. 2) adopted by Commission 3 on 15 July 1999 (rapporteur: Mr Tabakı´dis, GR, PSE); having regard to the decision of the Plenary Assembly on 16 September 1999 to refer the matter back to Commission 3; having regard to the decision of Commission 3, at its meeting on 24 September 1999, to ask the rapporteur to include several amendments from Mr Bellet, adopted the following opinion at its 31st plenary session on 17 and 18 November 1999 (meeting of 18 November). 1. Introduction Each mode of transport has its own particular role to 1. 1. play in meeting transport needs in the Community. Sometimes the various means of transport complement one another and sometimes they compete. It would be of great benefit to society if there were more coordination and means of transport were more complementary, providing a transport system worthy of the name. If a transport system is to be effective, every constituent part of it, i. e. every mode of transport, must be used to the best possible effect and developed in accordance with its own particular characteristics, especially its comparati- ve advantages. Such an objective is in keeping with the unanimous concern to establish a better balance between road and rail transport for ecological and social reasons. 1. 2. Discussions on the various means of transport should be based on common rules, both within the Member States 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/41 and between the various sectors. Such common rules are the principles on which pricing is based, such as the principles of non-discrimination, transparency etc. 1. 3. The aim of the European Union is to achieve balanced development of a system based on the real needs and actual characteristics of European society, such as geographical, economic and political conditions. Railways play a particularly important role in this framework, and it is a role which should be increased. The continued development of rail transport is important socially (large number of jobs), economically (ex- ports, trade) and environmentally, as it can make a substantial contribution to environmental policy in the transport sector. 1. 4. European citizens generally are becoming increasingly aware of the need to support and promote a policy of environmental protection without at the same time impeding economic integration and progress. Priority must be given to the railways as a way of promoting sustainable development. In this sense, any political project should be aimed at transferring transport activities (passengers and freight) from road to rail. In addition, one of the more important advantages of 1. 5. rail transport is the better level of safety compared with other modes of transport. Safety must be part of a European transport policy. 1. 6. For all these reasons the railways need to win back the market share which they have lost in recent years. Between 1990 and 1995, taking all 15 EU Member States together, rail transport dropped from 18,8 % to 14,4 % in terms of freight tonne kilometres and from 6,8 % to 6 % in terms of passenger kilometres. Should divergent trends be noted in some Member States, the reasons for such differences in performance will have to be evaluated. journeys. Rail transport should be made more attractive, especial- 1. 7. ly for long-haul Its competitiveness should be enhanced through a package of measures covering all aspects of the rail market, i. e. the quantity and quality of infrastructure, pricing for infrastructure use, reliability of service, ensuring continuity of the rail network, agreements on customs formali- ties where non-EU countries are involved etc. 1. 8. An important factor in the further development of the railways is their position in relation to road transport, their main competitor. Liberalisation has enabled road transport (like air transport) to become more competitive, making those markets distinctly flexible. The rail sector should likewise gradually cease to be a protected market and should operate in a framework which is more closely tailored to modern needs. However, the necessary improvement in the performance of the rail sector must be done while maintaining at least the high level of safety now achieved, and with no worsening in working conditions. Safety must be the priority of the new legal framework for railways, with an obligation to achieve certain safety standards; each Member State would be free to choose the means for doing so. As in the case of sea and air transport, such liberalisation should be achieved in stages, in conjunction with the necessary accompanying measures, but without the step-by-step approach being used to justify unwarranted, or even detrimental delays. Each stage of liberali- sation of the rail sector should be followed by an assessment of the impact of the various measures on rail companies and on society in general. The COR considers it essential, with the for impact adoption of the three Commission directives, studies to be drawn up in each Member State and region and for their findings to be assessed, as well as the impact of the directives in force. Particular attention should be paid to the issues of segmentation, designing a European transport area based on north-south routes that would be liable to further marginalise isolated and peripheral regions, and pressure on the environment, etc. in a more general context of enlargement involving the progressive entry of the CEECs into the European Union. 2. General comments 2. 1. The European Union has already adopted three directi- ves on reform of the rail transport market: 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’ s railways, 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings, and 95/19/EC on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the charging of infrastructure fees. These directives followed on from the White and Green Papers on the Community’s railways. 2. 2. The aim of all these measures is to open up the market to new railway undertakings, which will be able to use the existing infrastructure. With this in mind, the first step, taken with Directive 91/440/EEC, was to separate the accounts for infrastructure management from those relating to the provi- sion of rail services. This makes the cost of using the railways more transparent, thus creating the conditions for fair and objective charging for infrastructure use. In other words, the user will be called on to pay the actual cost of transport, so that railways can operate on healthier terms for society as a whole. In practice, countries have found different ways of C 57/42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 separating accounts. Some Member States (France, the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Portugal and the Netherlands) have set up two different bodies, one responsible for infrastruc- ture and the other for transport, while others have one ‘integrated’ body. Under this arrangement, the same legal person is responsible for infrastructure and transport, and accounts are separated either by assigning the two functions to two different departments (as in Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium) or simply by publishing separate accounts (as in Luxembourg, Greece and Ireland). It should be noted that when separate accounts are drawn up by a single body only the profit and loss accounts are separated; the Commission, however, proposes requiring separate balance sheets to be drawn up as well. The Commission also proposes that separate accounts be kept for passenger transport (where the Member States can impose public service obligations) and freight transport (which has a more commercial character). 2. 3. Railways are therefore beginning to take a commercial approach, something which was previously lacking in their method of operation. Another important step in this direction is ensuring free access to the infrastructure. The basic terms for such access are specified in Directive 95/18/EC, which lays down the conditions for railway undertakings’ access to the market. Lastly, Directive 95/19/EC lays down the basic principles which are to apply uniformly to all undertakings in the sector, not only in relation to pricing, but also in relation to the allocation of capacity, which is often limited or else saturated. The COR asks the Council and the European Parliament to assess the impact of implementing the Directives on sustainable development in Europe’s regions, especially due to the payment of infrastructure user charges, deterioration of regional public services, domination of trans-European freight, which will take priority over all other users, possible closure of rail links to certain less-developed regions, and concentra- tion of economic activities in what are now the wealthiest regions. 3. Proposals 3. 1. Amendment of Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’s railways 3. 1. 1. The basic idea behind the proposed amendment is the full and obligatory separation of the body managing the infrastructure from any railway undertaking. The provision of transport services thus becomes a purely commercial activity and follows market rules, except in the case of transport services that have a public service function. Member States and regions always play a central role: laying down norms and monitoring observance of the rules. They manage the infra- structure and hence control its development, the necessary investment, future planning, the observance of safety require- ments and the smooth operation of the rail market generally. 3. 1. 2. It is also proposed to separate passenger transport from freight transport, at least for accounting purposes. This separation is important, as it enables different criteria to be applied to each case, i. e. freight transport will have a clearer and stronger commercial slant, while passenger transport will in some areas be strongly competitive and in others fulfil a public service function. This separation would give the finan- cial aspect of the different types of transport the necessary transparency. 3. 1. 3. The development of national railway infrastructures and the corresponding national markets is thus governed not only by economic cost/benefit factors but also by more general considerations to do with national and social interests, economic cohesion and regional development. These factors should be taken into account in applying any measures. 3. 1. 4. Some Community countries with special geographi- cal or geopolitical features should be treated differently when it comes to the development of their rail transport markets. Each region of the Community should be examined in the light of its particular circumstances, without this jeopardising or having a negative effect on Community plans to reform the rail transport market. The European Commission’s philosophy is that, 2. 4. in order to reorganise the railways and increase their share of the passenger and freight market, the aim should in practice be one of close cooperation with all railways, especially in the international freight sector, the international passenger sector and the national freight sector. The European Commission’s proposals for new Directives (amending 91/440/EEC, amen- ding 95/18/EC and replacing 95/19/EC) are moves in this direction. 3. 2. Proposal amending Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings Under the proposed Directive, railway undertakings 3. 2. 1. providing the services referred to in Article 10 of the existing Directive 91/440/EEC are obliged to obtain a licence from the 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/43 Member State in which they are established. That licence is valid throughout the Community. Issue of the licence is subject to certain conditions: professional competence, financial fit- ness and good repute. The basic idea behind the proposed directive is to 3. 2. 2. ensure transparent and equal treatment for railway underta- kings and to see to it that in an open market all safety requirements are met for the smooth operation of the rail system, to the benefit of users and society as a whole. 3. 2. 3. An innovation in the proposal is to include underta- kings operating urban, suburban or regional rail services in obligatory licensing. It is left up to each Member State, or to each region with responsibility for railways and with its own network, to decide whether to require licensing of undertakings carrying out such activities on its territory. In a market moving towards increasing liberalisation, Member States and regions could use this provision to some advantage. 3. 3. Proposal replacing Directive 95/19/EC on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the charging of infrastructu- re fees 3. 3. 1. When choosing a means of transport, users base their decisions on a number of factors. Quality and reliability of service are of major importance, but price is a deciding factor. In the rail sector, the charges to be paid for use of infrastructure have a significant impact on the final price of the transport (passing on the cost). This is a means of creating incentives for transferring transport business from road to rail. 3. 3. 2. The aim of the proposal is to clarify the framework for allocating infrastructure capacity and charging for infra- structure use. Infrastructure costs account for a significant part of the price users have to pay. Under the proposed directive, part of the cost also relates to the scarcity of infrastructure capacity. This might create certain problems when applying the directive if the infrastructure manager does not have any latitude with regard to decision-making or the corrective measures that he can take to remedy, as far as possible, any malfunctioning of the system. authorities and businesses, its policies and operation must still be monitored by a different higher authority. The infrastructure manager should likewise be able to apply pricing policies based on commercial decisions and not on rigid and predetermined criteria. Transparency and equal treatment are necessary with regard to all undertakings entitled to access to the rail transport market. However, this does not mean that the infrastructure manager should not have some decision-making latitude, depending on the particular circumstances of the infrastructure network he manages. 3. 3. 4. The charges levied for the use of rail infrastructure should be determined in similar ways to those for other competing modes of transport, particularly road transport. It is not fair to internalise, and hence charge for, the external cost of rail transport when a similar pricing principle does not apply in the road sector. The methodological and political problems of such a move are well known. What is more, rail transport has much lower external costs than road transport. We could however consider a form of pricing within the rail sector which takes environmental impact into account; for example, more environmentally-friendly lines could be charged lower fees, at the expense of those which, by virtue of the technology they use, have a more detrimental impact on the environment (by analogy with the road transport sector, where different prices are charged under the Eurovignette system, in accordance with the decision taken by the Transport Council on 1 December 1998). Furthermore, charging based on margi- nal costs should not lead to rural areas being deprived of railway services. Finally, it is necessary to clarify fully the meaning 3. 3. 5. and role of the newly-coined term ‘authorised applicant’. This new category should be brought into the rail transport market without jeopardising the smooth operation of the system. Under the proposal for a directive, ’a person or legal entity with a commercial or public service interest in procuring infrastructure capacity for the operation of a railway service, who has complied with the necessary requirements to enable him to seek to book capacity’ may acquire railway infrastructu- re capacity. Thus ‘authorised applicants’ could be not just railway undertakings, but also any operator able to provide a service, e. g. travel organisation, shipping company, etc. The COR is very concerned about the fact that this right is also extended to shippers, because the result would be to create a market like the road transport market with significant distortion of competition. local authority, 4. Proposed accompanying measures 3. 3. 3. Infrastructure capacity must be allocated to railway undertakings by a body that is independent of enterprises and organisations involved in railway operations (to avoid any conflict of interest in such situations). Even if for reasons of transparency the body in question will have to respect the objectives and rules of European national and regional 4. 1. To achieve complete restructuring of the rail sector, to the benefit of society as a whole, the proposed arrangements should be accompanied by appropriate supporting measures such as: C 57/44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 — social policy measures at national and Community level for rail employees; ber of European industrial centres will it be possible to curb road transport, with attendant economic and environmental advantages. — technical and institutional measures for railways, such as ensuring technical compatibility and where possible interoperability of networks, and encouraging freight free- ways; Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of 5. 4. the Community’s railways took a first step towards revitalisation. — definition of the terms and conditions for derogating from these arrangements (state aid etc. ), especially with regard to the public service obligation; 6. Directive 91/440/EEC — clear definition of the role of the State in order to ensure the smooth running of the rail system both as regards the necessary competitiveness and as regards the public service which railways represent. Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community’s railways (1) 5. Introduction 5. 1. Since the early 90s the European Union has recognised the need for specific measures to revitalise the Community’s railways. Its intention has been to achieve balanced develop- ment of all modes of transport while at the same time curbing the steadily dwindling rail market share. 5. 2. However, for a combination of structural, economic and historical reasons, the various modes of transport have developed differently from one Member State to another — a factor which is often regarded as being at the roots of the substantial distortion of competition between them. Balanced development of a transport system framed to respond to the actual needs and intrinsic characteristics of European society (geographical, economic and political conditions) is one of the key political aims of the common transport policy. 5. 3. On the other hand, the European citizen is increasingly concerned by the vital need to protect the environment while at the same time guaranteeing sustainable, long-term economic development along the path to European integration. Trans- port safety is another major consideration. All these concerns can be met by developing railways but improving the balance between the various modes of transport. At the same time, from the inevitably long-term viewpoint of economic benefits, a policy needs to be framed to boost all rail links, including minor ones (contrary to the current policy of closing down ‘non-profitable lines’ in many countries). Only by guaranteeing rail communications for the maximum num- (1) COM(95) 337 final — 95-0205 COD ex (SYN). 6. 1. The main purpose of Directive 91/440 is to establish basic structures to underpin the Community’s railways so that the sector can operate with greater transparency and be more closely tailored to market requirements. The separate accounts required for infrastructure management and for the provision of services must be seen in this light. 6. 2. Again with a view to opening up the traditionally protected railway market, Article 10 of the Directive provides for some measure of liberalisation of access into the transit services market. Liberalisation is not unlimited, since it is restricted to international groups of railway undertakings operating international transport services as well as to underta- kings operating combined transport services. 7. Proposed amendment to Directive 91/440/EEC 7. 1. Four years after the entry into force of the above directive, the European Commission has drafted a proposal to amend Article 10 of the existing directive with a view to opening up access to rail infrastructure to all undertakings operating services for the transport of goods, combined transport services or international services for the transport of passengers. 7. 2. There is currently a lack of consensus among the Member States on this next stage towards liberalisation of the rail market. 7. 3. Obviously such liberalisation can only proceed step by step. It is also clear that the extent to which the Member States’ national rail markets are liberalised differs considerably in the absence of a common policy some years ago. 7. 4. The proposed amendment to Article 10 of Directive 91/440/EEC is undeniably a move towards more advanced liberalisation — an entirely valid policy for the purpose of revitalising the railways. However, the implications of the proposed political measures for some Member States whose situation differs from that of the others still remain to be seen. For instance, the social role played by the railways in many countries, in terms of jobs and public services, must not be overlooked. 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/45 Strategies therefore need to be set in motion to protect, along with economic interests, the railways’ social role. 8. Conclusions 7. 5. Here the best timing for such political measures is at issue. This point is a suitable focus for a political debate aimed at achieving consensus. Before irreversible political measures are taken, all possible scenarios should be studied, with particular emphasis on a practical, acceptable timetable. Furt- her, any future political measure must seek the best possible integration of all EU regions as a guarantee of the socio- economic cohesion of the Union as a whole. Brussels, 18 November 1999. To create a solid basis of political compromise, a 8. 1. common denominator between the Member States needs to be sought. In the case of railways, convinced as we are that we are on the right road, we must nonetheless work out the proper timetable for implementation, while not ruling out accompanying measures such as technical accounting by traditional railway undertakings of national and Community policies for job protection in the rail sector, promotion of freight freeways, determination of conditions under which derogations may be applicable, such as state aids, especially for the purposes of fulfilling public service obligations, etc. The President of the Committee of the Regions Manfred DAMMEYER


title: Ψήφισμα του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου σχετικά με την κατάσταση στο Μπουρούντι

eurovoc_concepts:
Burundi
civilian victim
ethnic conflict
forced migration
political situation

formats: pdf print

text: C 189/238 Πε΄µπτη, 18 Νοεµβρίου 1999 Επι΄σηµη Εφηµερι΄δα των Ευρωπαι¨κω΄ν Κοινοτη΄των EL 7. 7. 2000 καλει΄ τις ρωσικε΄ς αρχε΄ς να αποσυ΄ρουν τις κατηγορι΄ες που απα΄γγειλαν εναντι΄ον του Alexandr Nikitin µε 3. βα΄ση µυστικα΄ και ε΄χοντα αναδροµικη΄ ισχυ΄ διατα΄γµατα· αναθε΄τει στην Προ΄εδρο΄ του να διαβιβα΄σει το παρο΄ν ψη΄φισµα στην Επιτροπη΄, το Συµβου΄λιο, την κυβε΄ρνηση 4. της Ρωσι΄ας, το Συµβου΄λιο της Ευρω΄πης και το Ίδρυµα Bellona. 11. Μπουρου΄ντι B5-0267, 0285, 0293 και 0301/1999 Ψη΄φισµα του Ευρωπαι¨κου΄ Κοινοβουλι΄ου σχετικα΄ µε την κατα΄σταση στο Μπουρου΄ντι Το Ευρωπαι¨κο΄ Κοινοβου΄λιο, # υπενθυµι΄ζοντας τα παλαιο΄τερα ψηφι΄σµατα΄ του για την κατα΄σταση στο Μπουρου΄ντι, A. λαµβα΄νοντας υπο΄ψη ο΄τι απο΄ το 1993 µαστι΄ζει το Μπουρου΄ντι εσωτερικη΄ συ΄ρραξη, στην οποι΄α περισσο΄τεροι απο΄ 200. 000 α΄νθρωποι ε΄χουν χα΄σει τη ζωη΄ τους και πλε΄ον των 800. 000 ε΄χουν εκτοπισθει΄, η πλειοψηφι΄α δε των οποι΄ων αντιµετωπι΄ζει συνθη΄κες λιµου΄ και αρρω΄στειες, Β. Γ. ∆. εκτιµω΄ντας ο΄τι η συ΄ρραξη ειση΄λθε σε νε΄α φα΄ση το Μα΄ι¨ο του 1999 ο΄ταν δια΄φορες παραστρατιωτικε΄ς οµα΄δες επε΄τειναν τις στρατιωτικε΄ς τους δραστηριο΄τητες σε ορισµε΄να τµη΄µατα της χω΄ρας καθω΄ς επι΄σης στην πρω- τευ΄ουσα Μπουζουµπου΄ρα, στις οποι΄ες ο στρατο΄ς αντε΄δρασε µε δραστηριο΄τητες εκκαθα΄ρισης και περαιτε΄ρω συγκε΄ντρωση των πληθυσµω΄ν στα αποκαλου΄µενα στρατο΄πεδα προστασι΄ας σε µι΄α αµφιλεγο΄µενη προσπα΄θεια να διαχωριστου΄ν οι α΄µαχοι απο΄ τους αντα΄ρτες, συγκλονισµε΄νο απο΄ την προ΄σφατη σφαγη΄ πολλω΄ν αµα΄χων στη Μπουζουµπου΄ρα, καθω΄ς επι΄σης απο΄ τη δολο- φονι΄α εννε΄α ατο΄µων µεταξυ΄ των οποι΄ων ενο΄ς εκπροσω΄που της UNICEF και ενο΄ς υπευθυ΄νου της ΡΑΜ στη Ρουτα΄να, νοτιανατολικη΄ επαρχι΄α του Μπουρου΄ντι, εκτιµω΄ντας ο΄τι στις 25 Οκτωβρι΄ου 1999 ο ειδικο΄ς εισηγητη΄ς των Ηνωµε΄νων Εθνω΄ν για τα ανθρω΄πινα δικαιω΄- µατα στο Μπουρου΄ντι υπογρα΄µµισε την τωρινη΄ καταστροφικη΄ κατα΄σταση στον τοµε΄α των ανθρωπι΄νων δικαιωµα΄των στο Μπουρου΄ντι λο΄γω των µαζικω΄ν αυθαι΄ρετων εκτελε΄σεων που διαπρα΄ττονται το΄σο απο΄ τις παραστρατιωτικε΄ς οργανω΄σεις ο΄σο και απο΄ τµη΄µατα του στρατου΄, τις παρα΄νοµες φυλακι΄σεις, τα βασανιστη΄- ρια και τις απαρα΄δεκτες συνθη΄κες κρα΄τησης, Ε. ε΄χοντας υπο΄ψη ο΄τι η ανα΄γκη να αποκατασταθει΄ η σταθερο΄τητα στην περιοχη΄ πρε΄πει να βασι΄ζεται στη δικαιο- συ΄νη και την προσαγωγη΄ σε δι΄κη των υπευθυ΄νων για την εθνοτικη΄ βι΄α, ΣΤ. εκτιµω΄ντας ο΄τι ειρηνευτικε΄ς συνοµιλι΄ες για το Μπουρου΄ντι ε΄χουν πραγµατοποιηθει΄ στη γειτονικη΄ Τανζανι΄α, αλλα΄ ε΄ως τω΄ρα δεν ε΄χουν καταλη΄ξει σε γενικη΄ συµφωνι΄α, Ζ. ανησυχω΄ντας για τις δυσκολι΄ες, λο΄γω κυρι΄ως της ε΄λλειψης ασφα΄λειας, που συναντα΄ το µεγαλυ΄τερο µε΄ρος των ανθρωπιστικω΄ν οργανω΄σεων για την παροχη΄ βοη΄θειας στους αµα΄χους που υποφε΄ρουν, καταδικα΄ζει απερι΄φραστα τις πρα΄ξεις βι΄ας σε βα΄ρος των αµα΄χων καθω΄ς επι΄σης τη δολοφονι΄α εννε΄α ατο΄µων, 1. µεταξυ΄ των οποι΄ων, αντιπροσω΄που της UNICEF και υπευθυ΄νου της ΡΑΜ στη Ρουτα΄να, νοτιανατολικη΄ επαρχι΄α του Μπουρου΄ντι· ζητει΄ τη διεξαγωγη΄ ανεξα΄ρτητης ε΄ρευνας για τη δολοφονι΄α εργαζοµε΄νων των Ηνωµε΄νων Εθνω΄ν για την 2. ανα΄πτυξη και αµα΄χων του Μπουρου΄ντι σε στρατο΄πεδο προσφυ΄γων στο νο΄τιο τµη΄µα του Μπουρου΄ντι· καλει΄ τις αρχε΄ς του Μπουρου΄ντι να λα΄βουν τα δε΄οντα µε΄τρα για την ασφα΄λεια του πληθυσµου΄ και να 3. συµµορφωθου΄ν µε τις κατευθυντη΄ριες γραµµε΄ς του ειδικου΄ εισηγητη΄ των Ηνωµε΄νων Εθνω΄ν προκειµε΄νου να βελ- τιωθει΄ η τροµακτικη΄ κατα΄σταση των ανθρωπι΄νων δικαιωµα΄των στη χω΄ρα· καλει΄ ο΄λα τα µε΄ρη που µετε΄χουν στη συ΄ρραξη να αναλα΄βουν και να περατω΄σουν τη διαδικασι΄α ειρη΄νευσης 4. κατα΄ τρο΄πον ω΄στε η ΕΕ να ει΄ναι σε θε΄ση να συµβα΄λει ενεργα΄, απο΄ κοινου΄ µε τις α΄λλες διεθνει΄ς οργανω΄σεις, στην επι΄τευξη της ειρη΄νης και της σταθερο΄τητας στο Μπουρου΄ντι· 7. 7. 2000 EL Επι΄σηµη Εφηµερι΄δα των Ευρωπαι¨κω΄ν Κοινοτη΄των C 189/239 Πε΄µπτη, 18 Νοεµβρίου 1999 ζητει΄ απο΄ ο΄λα τα αντιµαχο΄µενα µε΄ρη να σεβαστου΄ν τα πλε΄ον θεµελιω΄δη ανθρω΄πινα δικαιω΄µατα επιτρε΄ποντας 5. κυρι΄ως στις ανθρωπιστικε΄ς οργανω΄σεις να ε΄χουν α΄µεση και ελευ΄θερη προ΄σβαση στους προ΄σφυγες και στους εκτοπισθε΄ντες· καλει΄ την κυβε΄ρνηση του Μπουρου΄ντι να επιτρε΄ψει την ανα΄πτυξη στρατιωτικω΄ν παρατηρητω΄ν των Ηνωµε΄νων 6. Εθνω΄ν και/η΄ της ∆υτικοευρωπαι¨κη΄ς Ένωσης για την προστασι΄α των εργαζοµε΄νων για την ανα΄πτυξη, την παροχη΄ βοη΄θειας και την υλοποι΄ηση της ανθρωπιστικη΄ς βοη΄θειας· επιβεβαιω΄νει εκ νε΄ου τη σηµασι΄α της πραγµατοποι΄ησης, υπο΄ την αιγι΄δα του ΟΗΕ και της ∆υτικοευρωπαι¨κη΄ς 7. Ένωσης, διεθνου΄ς δια΄σκεψης για την ειρη΄νη, την ασφα΄λεια και τη σταθερο΄τητα στην περιοχη΄ των Μεγα΄λων Λιµνω΄ν µε τη συµµετοχη΄ ο΄λων των κυβερνη΄σεων της περιοχη΄ς· ζητει΄ επι΄µονα να συνεχι΄σουν οι γειτονικε΄ς χω΄ρες να υποστηρι΄ζουν την ειρηνευτικη΄ διαδικασι΄α στο Μπου- 8. ρου΄ντι διασφαλι΄ζοντας ο΄τι η επικρα΄τεια΄ τους δεν θα χρησιµοποιει΄ται επ’ ουδενι΄ λο΄γω µε σκοπο΄ να απειληθει΄ η ασφα΄λεια του λαου΄ του Μπουρου΄ντι· επαναλαµβα΄νει το αι΄τηµα΄ του για διεθνη΄ αποκλεισµο΄ στις εξαγωγε΄ς ο΄πλων και εξοπλισµω΄ν προς το Μπου- 9. ρου΄ντι και προς την περιοχη΄ των Μεγα΄λων Λιµνω΄ν στο συ΄νολο΄ της και καλει΄ το Συµβου΄λιο και τα κρα΄τη µε΄λη να σεβαστου΄ν τις υποχρεω΄σεις τους ο΄σον αφορα΄ τον ε΄λεγχο των εξαγωγω΄ν ο΄πλων µε προορισµο΄ την περιοχη΄, την προ΄ληψη της παρα΄νοµης εµπορι΄ας τους, και του παρα΄νοµου εµπορι΄ου για τη χρηµατοδο΄τηση΄ της· καλει΄ τη διεθνη΄ κοινο΄τητα, και την ΕΕ ιδιαι΄τερα, να επιταχυ΄νει την παροχη΄ ανθρωπιστικη΄ς βοη΄θειας στον 10. πληθυσµο΄ που ευρι΄σκεται σε κι΄νδυνο, τους εκτοπισθε΄ντες και τους προ΄σφυγες του Μπουρου΄ντι· αναθε΄τει στην Προ΄εδρο΄ του να διαβιβα΄σει το παρο΄ν ψη΄φισµα στην Επιτροπη΄, το Συµβου΄λιο, τις κυβερνη΄- 11. σεις των κρατω΄ν µελω΄ν, του Μπουρου΄ντι, της Ουγκα΄ντα, της Λαι¨κη΄ς ∆ηµοκρατι΄ας του Κογκο΄, της Τανζανι΄α, στα Ηνωµε΄να Έθνη, στην ΡΑΜ, στην UNICEF και στον Οργανισµο΄ Αφρικανικη΄ς Ενο΄τητας. 12. Ρουα΄ντα B5-0276, 0294 και 0300/1999 Ψη΄φισµα του Ευρωπαι¨κου΄ Κοινοβουλι΄ου σχετικα΄ µε την κατα΄σταση στην περιοχη΄ των Μεγα΄λων Λιµνω΄ν, µε ειδικη΄ αναφορα΄ στη Ρουα΄ντα Το Ευρωπαι¨κο΄ Κοινοβου΄λιο, # υπενθυµι΄ζοντας τα προηγου΄µενα ψηφι΄σµατα΄ του σχετικα΄ µε την κατα΄σταση στη Ρουα΄ντα, Α. Β. Γ. ∆. Ε. ε΄χοντας υπο΄ψη ο΄τι στις 3 Νοεµβρι΄ου 1999 το Εφετει΄ο του ∆ιεθνου΄ς Ποινικου΄ ∆ικαστηρι΄ου για τη Ρουα΄ντα αποφα΄σισε την αποφυλα΄κιση του κ. Jean Bosco Barayagwiza για τεχνικου΄ς λο΄γους, παρα΄ το γεγονο΄ς ο΄τι ει΄χε κατηγορηθει΄ για 6 εγκλη΄µατα που σχετι΄ζονται µε γενοκτονι΄α, ε΄χοντας υπο΄ψη ο΄τι ο Jean Bosco Barayagwiza η΄ταν ανω΄τερο στε΄λεχος του φανατικου΄ προπαγανδιστικου΄ ραδιοσταθµου΄ το οποι΄ο ανοιχτα΄ προπαγα΄νδιζε τη σφαγη΄ των Του΄τσι και των µετριοπαθω΄ν Χου΄του της χω΄ρας, ε΄χοντας υπο΄ψη την απο΄φαση που ε΄λαβε, κατα΄ συνε΄πεια, η κυβε΄ρνηση του Κιγκα΄λι να διακο΄ψει τη συνεργασι΄α της µε το ∆ιεθνε΄ς Ποινικο΄ ∆ικαστη΄ριο (∆Π∆) της Αρου΄σα καθω΄ς και να αναβα΄λει επ’ αο΄ριστον την επι΄σκεψη στη χω΄ρα της γενικη΄ς εισαγγελε΄ως του ∆Π∆, κ. Carla del Ponte, ε΄χοντας υπο΄ψη ο΄τι η διακοπη΄ της συνεργασι΄ας µε τη Ρουα΄ντα θα ε΄χει σοβαρε΄ς συνε΄πειες στην ικανο΄τητα του δικαστηρι΄ου να δικα΄ζει τις υποθε΄σεις του διο΄τι οι περισσο΄τεροι µα΄ρτυρες προε΄ρχονται απο΄ τη Ρουα΄ντα, ε΄χοντας υπο΄ψη ο΄τι οι εργασι΄ες του ∆ιεθνου΄ς ∆ικαστηρι΄ου ε΄χουν γενικα΄ χαρακτηρισθει΄ απο΄ υπερβολικε΄ς καθυστερη΄σεις και ιδιαι΄τερα χρονοβο΄ρες ανακρι΄σεις και διαδικασι΄ες, που οφει΄λονται, µεταξυ΄ α΄λλων, στην µεγα΄λη ε΄λλειψη εισαγγελε΄ων και δικαστω΄ν, γεγονο΄ς το οποι΄ο ει΄χε ως αποτε΄λεσµα το δικαστη΄ριο να ε΄χει ολοκληρω΄σει µο΄νο 4 δι΄κες µε΄σα στα 5 χρο΄νια απο΄ το΄τε που ιδρυ΄θηκε, ΣΤ. πεπεισµε΄νο πως ει΄ναι ανα΄γκη το ∆ιεθνε΄ς ∆ικαστη΄ριο να διακριβω΄σει την αλη΄θεια σχετικα΄ µε τη γενοκτονι΄α του 1994 στη Ρουα΄ντα και να προσαχθου΄ν ενω΄πιον της δικαιοσυ΄νης το΄σο οι εµπνευστε΄ς ο΄σο και οι υπευ΄θυ- νοι αυτω΄ν των σφαγω΄ν προκειµε΄νου να δοθει΄ τε΄ρµα στην ατιµωρησι΄α,


title: Komission asetus (EY) N:o 2443/1999, annettu 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999, tuonnin kiinteistä arvoista tiettyjen hedelmien ja vihannesten tulohinnan määrittämiseksi

eurovoc_concepts:
agri-monetary policy
citrus fruit
fruit vegetable
grape
import price
pip fruit

text: 19. 11. 1999 FI Euroopan yhteisöjen virallinen lehti L 298/1 I (Säädökset, jotka on julkaistava) KOMISSION ASETUS (EY) N:o 2443/1999, annettu 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999, tuonnin kiinteistä arvoista tiettyjen hedelmien ja vihannesten tulohinnan määrittämiseksi EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN KOMISSIO, joka ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen, 2) Edellä mainittujen perusteiden mukaisesti tuonnin kiin- teät arvot on vahvistettava tämän asetuksen liitteessä esitetylle tasolle, koskevista ottaa huomioon hedelmien ja vihannesten tuontĳärjestelmän soveltamista säännöistä 21 päivänä joulukuuta 1994 annetun komission asetuksen (EY) N:o 3223/94 (1), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 1498/98 (2), ja erityisesti sen 4 artiklan 1 kohdan, yksityiskohtaisista ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN ASETUKSEN: 1 artikla sekä katsoo seuraavaa: 1) Asetuksessa (EY) N:o 3223/94 säädetään Uruguayn kier- roksen monenvälisten kauppaneuvottelujen tulosten mukaisesti komission vahvistamista kolmansien maiden tuonnin kiinteiden arvojen perusteista liitteissä määritel- tävien tuotteiden ja ajanjaksojen osalta. Asetuksen (EY) N:o 3223/94 4 artiklassa tarkoitetut tuonnin kiinteät arvot vahvistetaan liitteessä olevassa taulukossa merki- tyllä tavalla. 2 artikla Tämä asetus tulee voimaan 19 päivänä marraskuuta 1999. Tämä asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, ja sitä sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa jäsenval- tioissa. Tehty Brysselissä 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999. Komission puolesta Franz FISCHLER Komission jäsen (1) EYVL L 337, 24. 12. 1994, s. 66. (2) EYVL L 198, 15. 7. 1998, s. 4. L 298/2 FI Euroopan yhteisöjen virallinen lehti 19. 11. 1999 tuonnin kiinteistä arvoista tiettyjen hedelmien ja vihannesten tulohinnan määrittämiseksi annettu 18 päivänä marraskuuta 1999, komission asetukseen LIITE CN-koodi Kolmannen maan koodi (1) Tuonnin kiinteä arvo (EUR/100 kg) 0702 00 00 0707 00 05 0709 90 70 0805 20 10 0805 20 30, 0805 20 50, 0805 20 70, 0805 20 90 0805 30 10 0806 10 10 0808 10 20, 0808 10 50, 0808 10 90 0808 20 50 052 204 999 052 628 999 052 204 999 204 999 052 999 052 528 600 999 052 400 508 999 060 388 400 404 800 804 999 052 064 400 720 999 101,8 35,4 68,6 104,3 134,8 119,6 89,1 102,4 95,8 59,0 59,0 51,8 51,8 47,5 77,3 68,2 64,3 152,0 317,7 325,5 265,1 34,7 70,4 87,7 72,1 149,2 22,6 72,8 126,3 65,7 71,0 80,6 85,9 (1) Komission asetuksessa (EY) N:o 2645/98 (EYVL L 335, 10. 12. 1998, s. 22) vahvistettu maanimikkeistö. Koodi ”999” tarkoittaa ”muuta alkuperää”


title: Resolutie van het Comité van de Regio's over de volgende intergouvernementele conferentie (IGC)

text: 29. 2. 2000 NL Publicatieblad van de Europese Gemeenschappen C 57/103 Resolutie van het Comité van de Regio’s over de volgende intergouvernementele conferentie (IGC) HET COMITE´ VAN DE REGIO’S, (2000/C 57/17) gezien de conclusies van de Europese Raad van Keulen, waarin wordt bevestigd dat een Intergouvernemen- tele Conferentie zal worden bijeengeroepen om de institutionele problemen waarvoor in Amsterdam geen oplossing werd gevonden nog vo´ o´ r de uitbreiding af te handelen; gezien het besluit van de Europese Raden van Keulen en Tampere om een Europees Handvest van Grondrechten op te stellen; gezien de verklaringen van de voorzitter van de Europese Commissie, de heer Prodi, die van mening is dat de intergouvernementele conferentie, die tijdens de Europese Raad van Helsinki van start zou moeten gaan, een ruimer mandaat dient te krijgen; gezien het advies van het Comité van de Regio’s van 15 september 1999 over „De institutionele aspecten van de uitbreiding: lokaal en regionaal bestuur in het hart van Europa” (); gezien het rapport van de door de heer Dehaene voorgezeten groep van wijzen van de Commissie; gezien de resolutie van het Europees Parlement van 18 november 1999 over de voorbereiding van de herziening van de Verdragen en de volgende intergouvernementele conferentie; gezien de op 10 november 1999 goedgekeurde bijdrage van de Commissie aan de voorbereiding van de intergouvernementele conferentie; overwegende dat de Europese Unie haar democratische legitimiteit zowel aan de regeringen als aan de bevolking van de lidstaten ontleent; overwegende dat het huidige democratische deficit na de uitbreiding ongetwijfeld nog zal toenemen, overwegende dat toetreding tot de Unie ook de naleving van het subsidiariteitsbeginsel impliceert, overwegende dat de uitbreiding niet zonder gevolgen zal blijven voor het CvdR, heeft tijdens zijn op 17 en 18 november 1999 gehouden 31e zitting (vergadering van 18 november) met algemene stemmen de volgende resolutie goedgekeurd. Het Comité van de Regio’s, 1. is van oordeel dat de volgende institutionele hervorming op de eerste plaats gericht moet zijn op de versterking en democratisering van de Europese instellingen, die de middelen moeten krijgen om het hoofd te kunnen bieden aan de uitdagingen van de uitbreiding, 2. meent daarom ook dat het mandaat van de intergouverne- mentele conferentie moet worden verruimd, en niet be- perkt mag blijven tot de kwesties die in Amsterdam niet werden afgehandeld, te weten de omvang en samenstelling van de Commissie, de stemmenverdeling binnen de Raad en de veralgemening van de besluitvorming met gekwalifi- ceerde meerderheid, 3. wijst op de cruciale rol van het CvdR, dat er als zegsman van Europa bij de burgers toe bijdraagt dat de Europese gedachte ingang vindt in het dagelijkse leven en dat het streven en de doelstellingen van de Unie duidelijk worden; pleit voor een betere verdeling van de bevoegdheden over de Europese, nationale, regionale en plaatselijke besluitvormingsniveau’s, (1) CDR 52/99 def. — PB C 374 van 23. 12. 1999, blz. 15. verwerken in haar officiële voorstel, 4. verzoekt de Commissie het eisenpakket van het CvdR te C 57/104 NL Publicatieblad van de Europese Gemeenschappen 29. 2. 2000 5. wenst ten volle te worden betrokken bij de onderhandelin- gen over de volgende institutionele hervormingen en bij de uitwerking van het Handvest van Grondrechten, dat de burger duidelijk zou moeten maken dat hij met het Europees burgerschap ook een aantal nieuwe rechten verwerft, 6. wenst dat de rol van de plaatselijke en regionale overheden bij de tenuitvoerlegging en de naleving van het subsidiari- teitsbeginsel wordt vastgelegd in het Verdrag, 7. wenst dat het beginsel van lokale autonomie wordt vastgelegd in het Verdrag, 9. verzoekt het aantal CvdR-leden opnieuw te overwegen en het maximumaantal vast te leggen op 350, 10. herhaalt dat in het Verdrag moet worden vastgelegd dat alle CvdR-leden over een politiek mandaat dienen te beschikken, zodat hun legitimiteit niet in twijfel kan worden getrokken, 11. dringt er opnieuw op aan dat het CvdR de status van instelling krijgt, 12. eist het recht op om beroep te kunnen aantekenen bij het Hof van Justitie van de EG indien aan zijn prerogatieven zou worden getornd, 8. verzoekt om veralgemening van het principe dat tijdens informele ministerraden overleg wordt gepleegd met het CvdR, 13. verzoekt zijn voorzitter deze resolutie te doen toekomen aan de Commissie, het Parlement, de Raad, de regeringen van de lidstaten, en de nationale parlementen. Brussel, 18 november 1999. De voorzitter van het Comité van de Regio’s Manfred DAMMEYER


title: Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on 'Local and regional cooperation to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect in the European Union'

eurovoc_concepts:
child protection
regional cooperation
young person

text: C 57/46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Local and regional cooperation to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect in the European Union’ (2000/C 57/07) THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, having regard to the decision of its Bureau of 2 June 1999, under the 5th paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to draw up an Opinion on ‘local and regional cooperation to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect in the European Union’ and to direct Commission 7 — Education, Vocational Training, Culture, Youth, Sport and Citizens’ Rights to draw up an Opinion on this subject; having regard to its Opinion on Cross-frontier and International Co-operation between Local Authorities (CdR 145/98 fin) (1); having regard to its Opinion on the Communication from the Commission on violence against children, young persons and women and the Amended Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision adopting a programme of Community action (the Daphne Programme) (2000-2004) on measures aimed to prevent violence against children, young persons and women CdR 300/98 fin) (2); having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 225/99 rev. 2) adopted by Commission 7 on 1 October 1999 [Rapporteur: Ms Henig (UK — PES)], unanimously adopted the following Opinion at its 31st plenary session of 17 and 18 November 1999 (meeting of 18 November). 1. Introduction 1. 1. The European Union encourages greater movement of citizens within Europe, but until recently little had been done to co-ordinate practice, to promote the welfare and rights of children, and to consider ways in which children can be better protected from abuse. 1. 2. The Committee of the Regions is pleased with the Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision adopting a programme of Community action (the Daphne Programme) (2000-2004) on measures aimed to prevent violence against children, young persons and women, as indicated in its Opinion on the subject. It represents an important step forward in preventing violence and abuse. It will bring a European added value in establishing and strengthening cooperation, coordination and exchange of information at local and regional level in this field. 1. 3. The Daphne Initiative has already contributed to the development of practice and exchange of information in the European Union in the field of protection of children’s welfare and rights. The Committee of the Regions has worked with Non Government Organisations on regional cooperation to protect children from abuse as a result of the Daphne Initiative. (1) OJ C 51, 22. 2. 1999, p. 21. (2) OJ C 198, 14. 7. 1999, p. 61. 1. 4. There are over 120 million children and young people in the European Union who are entitled to a childhood free from cruelty and neglect. The completion of the Single Market, the increasing freedom of movement across national frontiers, and the creation of a common European Union citizenship with the right to live and work in any Member State highlights the urgent need for a European Union wide strategy in relation to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. 1. 5. While the Daphne Programme will make an important contribution, the COR’s Opinion on the subject has expressed concern about the limited budget (25 million ECU for 2000- 2004 in the original proposal; 20 million ECU for 2000-2003 in the Council common position 26. 7. 1999) and the proposed legal base Article 129 (public health) owing to the lack of an appropriate legal base for actions concerning the protection of human rights. It is important that the European Commission ensure that the definition of public health is given a wide interpretation so that actions to prevent all forms of violence are covered under the programme, as stressed in this Opinion. 1. 6. Child abuse occurs in all settings: in the family; in day and residential institutions; and in leisure settings. Those who abuse may be adults, or young people, they may be family carers, or others in employment bringing them in contact with children. Child abuse is prevalent in all European States. 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/47 Attention should also be paid to types of abuse involving child labour, forcing children into begging or prostitution and the exploitation of children by their families or others. This phenomenon is linked to the presence in many European countries of economic refugees, minorities and, in more general terms, groups experiencing social exclusion and pover- ty. Such conditions lead to the exploitation of children, from as early as infancy, and expose children of pre-school and school age to a variety of dangers, depriving them of their basic rights to normal development and laying the ground for their marginalisation as adults. 2. General Comments 2. 1. Child abuse The COR has already acknowledged that violence 2. 1. 1. against children and young people in its Opinion on the Daphne Programme is a real social problem across Europe, widespread in all social classes regardless of socio economic and cultural development. 2. 1. 2. Children are vulnerable because of their dependency. As such they are exposed to a host of risks and hazards. But children are given little voice or opportunity to express how they perceive, cope and act on a daily basis — and without adult assistance — in relation to such experiences. 2. 2. Citizenship 2. 2. 1. Until recently there was no competency within the European Union Treaty to address issues affecting children even though the completion of the Single Market and the increasing freedom of movement across national frontiers affected children and young people, and resulted in new problems for child protection agencies. Europe’s children were not mentioned in European Treaties, or heard by European institutions. It was as if 120 million children and young people in the European Union were invisible and ignored. 2. 2. 2. The Treaty instructed the Union to pay particular attention to policy formation in such areas as equal opportuni- ties between men and women, the elderly, ethnic minorities, and the disabled, but there was no such provision for children. Thus while there was general consensus that children and young people were covered in the European Union Treaty, their position as European citizens was far from clear. 2. 2. 3. This lack of reference has made it difficult to legislate directly in children and young people’s interests, and to direct European structural funding towards the promotion of equal opportunities for them. 2. 2. 4. The Amsterdam Treaty, October 1997, introduces a new non-discrimination clause, Article 13 which includes discrimination based on age, clarifying that children should be included within the provisions of the Treaty. While this it is an important marker to a progress may be limited, recognition that children are Europe’s citizens too, and must be valued, enabled to fulfil their potential and protected from cruelty. 2. 1. 3. Child abuse is not an absolute concept. With the exception of some sexual abuse it should also be clear that maltreatment is seldom an event, a single incident that requires action to protect the child. Types of abuse overlap so that a child who has been physically maltreated will almost certainly have suffered emotionally, and sexual abuse may involve physical force or threat of punishment. 2. 2. 5. Article 3 of the UN Convention emphasises that in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administra- tive authorities, or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be the primary consideration. This principle provi- des a test against which adults need to evaluate their decisions and actions in respect of children. 2. 1. 4. Most behaviour has to be seen in context before it can be thought of as maltreatment. Yet decisions about the threshold for intervention are reached without consultation with children or engagement with them in the decision making process. Long term family violence for example with children regularly seeing their mother beaten can affect children as much as if they had been frequently and severely hit, but rarely perceived as abusive. 2. 1. 5. Additionally abuse is a major factor in driving young people to run away from their homes and into possible danger. Bullying, mistreatment and abuse of children looked after away from their homes also causes children to run away. 2. 2. 6. Children need to be involved in the decisions affec- ting their lives. Listening to children and hearing what they have to say is at the root of developing effective human rights for children. This process values the views of children, but is not achieved easily or accepted universally. Empowering children, giving them a voice, so that 2. 2. 7. they know how and where to seek help contributes to prevention. Local politicians can contribute effectively to the empowerment of children by encouraging their participation local services, and in the planning and development of responding to children’s concerns about problems or issues. Children and young people should be aware of their rights, C 57/48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 have access to complaints systems and independent advocacy. Local and regional authorities can support children and young people’s rights in different ways, according to the way measures to help and support children and young people are organised in the individual Member States. For example, local and regional authorities might support children and young people by appointing an independent Children’s Commissio- ner or Ombudsperson. 2. 2. 8. Local and Regional government should develop integrated and comprehensive plans for children and youth, putting together and articulating all actions to promote rights and prevent problems, ensuring their co-ordination and supervision. Incorporation of the subsidiarity principle in the European treaties has given local and regional authorities additional responsibilities. The ‘Citizens’ Europe’ is to be achieved through the establishment of decentralised machine- ry. This process gives a new dimension to cross-border and transnational co-operation and demonstrates an important ‘bottom up’ approach to European integration. Increasingly decentralised systems will bring government closer to the people and further democratic responsibility. Children and young people should not be ignored in this process, and the EU should encourage local and regional authorities to promote children and young people’s rights in ways appropriate to Member States, which may include the establishment of local Children’s Ombudspeople who will share knowledge and practice about issues concerning and affecting children and young people across Europe. 2. 3. Role of local and regional government Local and regional government in Europe, because 2. 3. 1. of its closeness to and representation of local communities is in a unique position to take positive action on behalf of children to support the key principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to take action to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect. Local and regional government provides a wide range 2. 3. 2. of services for children and young people, for example, social welfare, education and leisure, and needs to ensure that children and young people using these services are safe from harm. Additionally there is a responsibility to ensure that any children or young people suffering abuse or neglect within their jurisdiction will be responded to and helped in a careful and sensitive way. between authorities in a Europe in which the subsidiarity principle in the European Treaties has given local and regional authorities additional responsibility. These recommendations should be considered at both local and European levels. 2. 3. 4. Where there are diverse systems and different agencies with responsibility for children in different countries, effective co-ordination and communication between authori- ties is of vital importance. Co-operation for mutual benefit, for promoting the welfare of children involves exchanges of experience and where possible the adoption of ‘best practice’. 2. 3. 5. Local and regional co-operation across the EU in combating child abuse must be strengthened. Such co- operation should involve the candidate countries, in particular the Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe for whom it would bring particular benefit, in their efforts to strengthen the protection of human rights within the frame- work of the pre-accession strategy. The EU should support co-operation between local 2. 3. 6. and regional authorities, across the EU and within the candidate countries, working in partnership with NGOs, in order to combat child abuse through the dissemination of best practice and exchange of information and the promotion of public awareness campaigns, in particular within the framework of the proposed Daphne programme. Given that there are a significant number of children 2. 3. 7. who fall victim to economic and sexual exploitation by adults, suffer all types of abuse or live in abject poverty (cf. point 1. 6 of this opinion), the COR feels that this should be a matter of particular concern both within the framework of the Daphne programme and in legal provisions in this field. Local and regional authorities are the best placed to tackle this and they must be supported so they can take the initiative to set up mechanisms to locate, monitor and support children who remain excluded from education and social welfare. 3. Specific comments 3. 1. Information needs — the scale of the problem 2. 3. 3. The recommendations for action by local and regio- nal authorities across the EU to combat child abuse (annexed), put forward at the Committee of the Regions seminar on ‘Local and Regional Co-operation to Protect Children from Abuse’ held on 4th December 1998 demonstrates the commit- ment to cross border co-operation and sharing of practice 3. 1. 1. Child abuse is a significant problem within the European Union. Child abuse knows no frontiers and therefore levels across the EU — requires a concerted effort at all including local and regional government — to tackle it effectively. 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/49 3. 1. 2. Information about the extent of abuse within the European Union is not available, and information should be collected and monitored. All countries have different ways of classifying and recording information about child abuse. The EU should report on current data collection with a view to identifying what information is relevant to an understanding of child abuse on a Europe wide basis. Eurostat, working in collaboration with local and regional authorities could support this process. published. More than 10 000 people, including a number who had themselves been abused as children, made their views known, by letter, written submission or in person. The National Commission concluded that, ‘any balanced examination of child abuse must come to terms with some uncomfortable truths’. In particular it has to be accepted that, ‘over half of the abuse that occurs, sometimes over lengthy periods of a child’s life, goes undisclosed at the time it is occurring, and additionally those who tell as children remain in a minority’. Child abuse can lead to children running away from 3. 1. 3. their carers, and to ensure that these children are not forgotten, and to assist the relevant authorities in different countries in finding them a European Register of missing children should be established. Another helpful move would be to explore the secure use of the internet by police forces across Europe to have available photographs and other details of vulnerable missing children. 3. 1. 4. In the UK the government has introduced a system for registering convicted sex offenders. This approach recogni- ses that sex offenders pose a high risk of re-offending after conviction or release and has worked well in tracking the movements of sex offenders, and establishing their wherea- bouts. The Member States are called upon to make an appraisal of whether and to what extent this system, modified where appropriate, should be introduced throughout the EU. 3. 1. 5. Police forces currently record information on indivi- duals relating to criminal convictions for paedophile activity, child pornography, child prostitution and trafficking in women and children. However there is no pan European system, and a protocol for information exchange — a formal agreement about information to be recorded and shared — between police forces within the European Union would enhance the protection of children. Europol could lead the development of such a protocol, and a special unit within Europol should be established in relation to child protection. The Commission concluded that the benefits of 3. 2. 2. telling need to be emphasised and it reported that in a quarter of the cases the Commission had received information about, telling stopped the abuse continuing. Telling is seen as the first step in the process, and can be beneficial in stopping abuse. The Commission found that although those who told were more likely to be younger, fear and an ignorance and lack of knowledge, overlapped to prevent telling. 3. 2. 3. The challenge for child protection systems across Europe is the creation of systems which help children to speak out about their abuse, and to feel confident about getting support, and in which the public has confidence so that all suspected cases are reported. Examining current practices across Europe, and consulting with children and young people about their effectiveness to identify ‘best practice’ provides a way forward. Local and Regional Authorities are well placed to do this work, and should be encourage to report, by the EU. Such activity could be co-ordinated by the Committee of the Regions. 3. 3. Children telling and accessing help It is recognised that local authority data bases will 3. 1. 6. not currently demonstrate the incidence or prevalence of child abuse since they work with very different definitions, and may contain both alleged and confirmed cases. However they will become increasingly useful once definitions are standardised and they are recording only confirmed cases. Children of different ages have different needs. 3. 3. 1. For example children aged over 12 years, and in secondary education, are more mobile, independent and more able to access and use the range of services provided by youth and community departments within local authorities, and other organisations. 3. 1. 7. Under current circumstances, a Europe wide study of a representative sample of the general population would provide a way of obtaining appropriate, relevant and valid data on the incidence of abuse. 3. 2. Help for children in reporting abuse 3. 2. 1. in the UK, the Report of the National Commission of Inquiry into the Prevention of Abuse was In 1996, Children in primary education, aged from 4 to 3. 3. 2. 5 years upwards towards secondary education are more restric- ted in their independent opportunities and merit particular attention. With this age group the role of the school, where they spend most time, and the teacher is very significant. Teachers can help identify those children currently experien- cing abuse, and create environments where children can share concerns at an early stage. A communications medium such as television, which can reach children directly and easily in the home, offers a further effective instrument for encouraging children to report abuse. However, children should always be directed to a facility which they already use, i. e. the school. C 57/50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 3. 3. 3. In research reports, children have described the responses they want from ‘professionals’ — careful listening, availability, and a non-judgemental and non-directive attitude. This has implications for teacher training, ensuring that ‘listening skills’ are developed. There are opportunities to develop and adopt ‘best practice’ approaches in teacher training institutions across Europe. 3. 3. 4. School also has an important part to play in enhan- the adult world and cing young people’s knowledge of relationships, decisions about becoming a parent, and under- standing rights, abusive relationships and responsibilities, and where help may be accessed if a young person has worries or concerns. The diversity of families and cultures within Europe should be respected, but understanding differences can aid learning about adult life and decision making. 3. 3. 5. In many Member States there is general welfare service provision directed to families with pre-school children. In particular, specially trained youth welfare workers, commu- nity nurses or health visitors play an important role in supporting families under stress, identifying potentially abusive circumstances, as well as identifying and treating developmen- tal problems and mental illnesses. The value of these services to the prevention of abuse cannot be overestimated. Children also have access to computers, frequently 3. 3. 6. without supervision. The Internet is an increasingly accessible and important source of information, but there is also a need to raise awareness of the fact that the Internet can be misused to disseminate illegal material. Children can be exploited through the portrayal of 3. 3. 7. abuse, especially child sexual abuse. Children can come across ‘adult’ material unintentionally, receive e-mails inviting them to access pornographic sites ,and be unaware of adults posing as children in children’s discussion fora. To protect children and young people from such abuse, an EU-wide legal frame- work should be drawn up facilitating the prosecution of producers and service providers who permit the storage and retrieval of child pornography via the media which they make available. 3. 4. The role of responsible adults It is important that there is an effective network of 3. 4. 1. well co-ordinated local services to respond to concerns about abuse, to ensure that concerns are properly enquired into, and if action is necessary to protect children, to ensure that this is taken. 3. 4. 2. When children, or other adults raise concerns these should be taken seriously. These concerns may be raised with teachers, health professionals, social welfare workers, leisure service workers or the police. Children will approach those people they believe they can trust. They should not be let down. 3. 4. 3. These professionals need training to understand child abuse, to know that concerns should be taken seriously, and to know how to respond. Local protocols or procedures for responding to concerns help professionals to understand what to do. Training for professionals is important. 3. 4. 4. Those working with children, in schools, nurseries, in residential units and in health settings need to be trained to recognise abuse, and be able to respond to ensure concerns are acted on. Current practices of local and regional authorities in this area should be exchanged and ‘best practice’ approaches identified and adopted. 3. 4. 5. Personnel and training departments in local and regional government can promote multi-agency training of staff in different departments and organisations to ensure all staff are competent to recognise abuse. 3. 5. ‘Best practice’ in helping children and families 3. 5. 1. Non-stigmatising services are necessary for children and families where abuse has occurred. An assessment of and response to the needs of the child should be planned and monitored. The safety of the child is central, but the majority of families can be helped and supported on a voluntary basis. Work with families needs to be resourced and supported if future abuse is to be prevented. The child is only removed from the family in extreme cases. However, less serious cases must not be underestimated; in order to protect the child in such cases it is often necessary to tackle the root cause of the problem by remedying communication problems within the family which sadly in the long term often lead to physical or mental cruelty. Local and regional authorities have an important role 3. 3. 8. in raising awareness, particularly with their responsibility for education services. There is a role in familiarising teachers with new information technologies, the use of suitable arrange- ments for access to the Internet at school and home, and the ways in which children and young people can be educated in responsible use. 3. 5. 2. Manuals of good professional practice, drawing on and sharing practice from individual States would be very beneficial to practitioners in the field, and should be encoura- ged and developed. Equally learning from ‘bad practice’, learning the lessons from circumstances in which children are killed is important. Such information could lead to the development and establishment of recognised standards and quality assurance programmes. 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/51 3. 5. 3. There are examples of Children’s Ombudspersons having a role in collating and disseminating information about practice — ‘best’ practice, and ‘bad’ practice — and this is a further reason why consideration could be given to the establishment of this role at a European, State and local or regional level. good supervisory processes in place, so that any concerns about the practice or performance of members of staff are identified. There are opportunities for local and regional authorities to exchange ‘best practice’ information, and promo- te this within authorities. 3. 6. Selecting with care — staff recruitment and selection 3. 6. 1. The duty of care in recruiting and providing staff to deliver services, in residential, day or community settings, rests with the provider, the regional or local authority or other organisation, to ensure that children are protected. It is helpful to think in terms of barriers. The more barriers that are in place, the harder it is for paedophiles to cross them, and the greater the protection afforded to children and young people. 3. 6. 2. An essential requirement is to ensure that, as far as possible, through efficient and rigorous recruitment practices the right people are chosen to work with children, and the wrong deterred or rejected. The formal selection process should include a mixtu- 3. 6. 3. re of assessment methods: written exercises; oral presentations; group exercises; psychometric testing; and individual inter- views, or other methods appropriate to the circumstances. Competency based approaches identify the qualifications, skills, knowledge, behaviours and values required to do a job successfully, and these competences can be described and assessed through a selection process. 3. 6. 4. Because sexual abusers target the most vulnerable children, they also seek employment opportunities that will enable them to have regular and easy contact with children, and which will enable them to build relationships which they can exploit. An important safeguard for children is to ensure that 3. 6. 5. those who have relevant convictions do not work with children in any community, day or residential setting. This is an important responsibility for regional and local authorities, but difficult to apply reliably because offences committed in other countries are unlikely to be uncovered. If someone has lived and worked elsewhere in Europe, ‘good conduct certificates’ may be produced and Europol should have a role in verifying these. 3. 6. 6. It is important to recognise that these processes have limitations. Many adults working with children and offending against them never come to the attention of employers. Even if they do they may still not be reported to the police. Because of this there is a need for authorities to ensure that there are 3. 7. Campaigning to raise awareness about child abuse 3. 7. 1. Local and regional authorities because of their close- ness to and representation of local communities are in a unique position to take positive action on behalf of children, and in particular to promote campaigns to raise awareness about child abuse within their communities, about the dangers to children, and address the taboo of interfering in families. The public need information, and need to be encouraged to report abuse. They need to know where to report, and need to know that their concerns will be taken seriously. Local and regional authorities can initiate campaigns 3. 7. 2. to combat abuse, for example advocating zero tolerance of violence to children in all its forms, and can initiate and lead Europe wide campaigns working with Non-Government Organisations as appropriate. 3. 8. Pan European legislative requirements 3. 8. 1. There is currently a diversity of legislation across Europe concerned with child protection, the powers of local and regional authorities and the police, and the extent to which court systems and processes are child centred and child friendly, for example the use of video taped evidence from children, or the availability of specialist judges. The EU should analyse existing legislation, identify the benefits for children and recommend measures for each country to consider to work towards a Europe wide legislative framework for the protection of children. 4. Conclusion 4. 1. The European Union encourages greater movement of citizens within Europe, but little has been done to co-ordinate practice and to promote the welfare of children, and to consider ways in which children can be better protected from abuse. 4. 2. The key role of local and regional government in Europe in taking positive action on behalf of children to support the key principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to take action to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect should be more clearly recognised and acted upon. The ‘Citizens’ Europe’ requiring more decentralised 4. 3. structures also requires more co-ordination, cross-border and transnational co-operation. Children and young people should C 57/52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 not be ignored in this process, and the EU should consider the ways in which the rights of children and young people can be promoted in Member States and in Europe. This could include the establishment of local Children’s’ Ombudspeople who will share knowledge and practice about issues concerning and affecting children and young people across Europe. Local and regional authorities are well equipped to launch specific schemes to assist children because of their closeness to the population and expertise in the social sector. The European Union encourages such schemes and we hope that it will commit itself to supporting local action by these authorities or cross-border exchanges of experiences, in addition to the funding envisaged under the future Daphne programme. The Committee of the Regions has a role in co- 4. 4. ordinating the development of models of ‘best practice’ from authorities and organisations across Europe, and making these available for local authorities to consider. The recommenda- tions for action by local and regional authorities across the EU to combat child abuse (annexed), put forward at the Committee of the Regions seminar on ‘Local and Regional Cooperation to Protect Children from Abuse’ demonstrates the commitment to cross border co-operation and sharing of practice between authorities, and the effective role of the Committee of the Regions in co-ordinating activities. In the past the lack of reference to children in European 4. 5. Treaties has made it difficult to focus directly on the needs and interests of children and young people, and to direct European structural funding towards activities directed to the promotion of their welfare. The Amsterdam Treaty, introducing a new non-discrimination clause, clarifies that children should be included within the provisions of the Treaty, recognising that children are Europe’s citizens too. This position could be further enshrined in legislation, and the urgent need for a European Union wide strategy in relation to the prevention of child abuse and neglect, without impinging upon the responsibilities of national, regional and local authorities, should be recognised and acted upon. 4. 6. The Committee of the regions welcomes the opportu- nities that the Daphne programme will bring to strengthen cooperation between NGOs and local and regional authorities across the EU. The COR is pleased to note that the call made in its Opinion (1) for the promotion of cooperation between local and regional authorities and NGOs in the implementation of the programme and in information networks have recently been endorsed by the European Parliament (first reading), the Commission (amended proposal) and the Council (common position). In addition to such cooperation between local authorities and NGOs, networking among authorities is impor- tant to give value-added to the activities currently under way in the individual Member States. (1) CdR 300/98 fin — OJ C 198, 14. 7. 1999, p. 61. 4. 7. The COR feels that the resources available must be increased in order to make it easier for local and regional authorities to set up mechanisms and services to locate, register, monitor and support children suffering abuse, exploi- tation or abandonment and their families. These mechanisms must: — ensure that children who are forced to work, beg, prostitute themselves or live in poverty are able to access the apparatus of social welfare, health and education; — provide for the healthy physical, emotional and intellectual development of children; — extend the provision of services to all children within the their jurisdiction (whether geographical boundaries of legally or illegally, temporarily or permanently) — collaborate with the corresponding mechanisms or services in the places where children are moving to so that their care can be followed. 4. 8. The COR also feels that the specific problems of children from migrant groups (economic refugees, travellers e. g. gypsies etc. ) moving between different areas of the same country or from one EU state to another, should also be tackled by means of legal measures at national and European level. 4. 9. Information about the extent of abuse within the European Union should be collected from existing data, recognising that currently there are different ways of classifying and recording information about child abuse. The EU should report on current data collection with a view to identifying what information is relevant to an understanding of child abuse on a Europe wide basis. 4. 10. Other Europe wide data bases would support the protection of children: a European Register of missing children; the possible introduction of an EU system for registering and tracking convicted sex offenders; and a protocol for information exchange between police forces, which would also enhance the vetting of staff. 4. 11. In many areas of activity, manuals of good professio- nal practice, drawing on and sharing practice from individual States would be very beneficial to practitioners in the field, and should be encouraged and developed. Examining current practices, for example in service provision, the recruitment and selection of staff, and basic training, across Europe to identify ‘best practice’ provides a way forward. Local and Regional Authorities are well placed to do this work, and should be encouraged to do so by the EU. Such activity could be co-ordinated by the Committee of the Regions. 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/53 4. 12. The important role of schools in preventing abuse, listening to and responding to children’s needs, should be recognised and supported. Schools not only enhance young people’s knowledge of the adult world, relationships, and potential dangers, but can also inform them about and encourage access to sources of help. Ensuring teachers are trained, equipped with resources and supported by ‘best practice’ guidance to provide this personal and social education should be a priority. For this important role of the communication and truly effective, information swapping between schools and social services must be optimised. This means closer cooperation between operators in the two fields, who often act in parallel rather than together. to be school Brussels, 18 November 1999. 4. 13. Local and regional authorities because of their close- ness to local communities are in a unique position to take positive action on behalf of children, and in particular to promote campaigns to raise awareness about child abuse within their communities. Local and regional authorities can initiate campaigns to combat abuse, for example advocating zero tolerance of violence to children in all its forms, and can initiate and lead Europe wide campaigns working with Non-Government Organisations as appropriate. 4. 14. The legislative framework for child protection in Europe should be reviewed, and recommendations made, taking account of existing international agreements and the responsibilities of national, regional and local authorities and their scope for action which would support a coordinated strategy within the EU for the protection of children’s welfare and rights and the prevention of abuse. The President of the Committee of the Regions Manfred DAMMEYER C 57/54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 29. 2. 2000 APPENDIX to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions Summary of recommendations On 7 September 1998 and 4 December 1998 members of Commissions 3, 5 and 7 of the COR met together to consider ways to promote a Europe of Regions where children are protected from cruelty. The seminar was organized by the National society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (UK), and the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (Ireland) in cooperation with the COR, with funding from the European Commission Daphne Initiative. As a result of the discussions that took place during these seminars, the following local and regional action plan to combat child abuse was agreed upon: Recommendations to local and regional government 1. To establish a shared understanding of child abuse within the European Union, and to collect, monitor and exchange information about the extent of child abuse Action: — Local and regional authorities should work together to promote the development of common databases in this field in cooperation with Eurostat. — Local and regional authorities should work in cooperation with police authorities and Europol on the development of databases on criminal convictions concerning paedophile activity, child pornography, child prostitution and trafficking as well as information on missing children. 2. To ensure that legislation in the European union is adequate to protect children in danger Action: — Local and regional authorities should support the development of specific legislation on child protection at EU level basing those recommendations on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This legislation would provide a consistent approach across Europe. — Local and regional authorities should promote the development of common guidelines at EU level for professional action to be taken by those involved in cases of child abuse. 3. To ensure that children in Europe are protected from abuse by those caring for them and providing services by establishing good recruitment practice Action: — Recruitment and selection practices should be shared between local and regional authorities across the EU, and ‘best practice’ recommendations developed for consideration and implementation. — Police forces to develop common recording systems of criminal convictions that relate to children, and methods of exchanging this information 4. To ensure that all those caring for children or providing services are trained to recognize abuse and know how to act on concerns Action: — Local and regional authorities to develop the key competences, that address the necessary skills and knowledge in this area. Once developed these competences could be standardized across Member States, so that ‘good’ practice is exchanged and brought together. — Personnel and training departments in local and regional authorities can promote training of staff in different departments and organizations to ensure all staff are competent to recognize abuse and ensure that all staff receive information about child abuse in induction training. 29. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 57/55 5. To ensure that there are local policies and procedures for the management of cases of child abuse which address the roles of staff in all professions and organizations Action: — Local and Regional Authorities should promote the development of common guidelines, standardized protocols and roles and responsibilities for professional action to be taken by those involved in cases of child abuse, whether in the field of health, education, police or social work. 6. To ensure that post abuse services are available for children and their carers Action: — Local and regional authorities across the EU to share information about effective practice in supporting families in which abuse has occurred, and helping children overcome the effects of abuse so that learning between authorities can take place. 7. To take action to establish programmes to prevent abuse Action: — Local and Regional Authorities to initiate policies to ensure that every child receives information about family life, relationships, their rights, and what to do and who to talk to if they have concerns. — Local and regional authorities to share current practice, and develop resources that teachers can use to inform children and develop their skills and understanding about parenting. — Local and regional authorities across Europe can cooperate to develop programmes which ensure schools and librarians have effective internet safety policies; develop internet safety campaigns and help promote the work of hotlines where concerns can be reported. 8. To give children a more active role in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Action: — Local and regional authorities should provide access to counselling services responding to children’s concerns about problems or issues and encouraging their participation in the planning and development of local services; — Local and regional authorities should support children and young people by raising awareness of their rights, providing access to a complaints system and independent advocacy, for example by appointing an independent Children’s Commissioner/Ombudsman. 9. To take responsibility to promote regular public awareness campaigns Action: — Local and regional authorities to cooperate, share current practice, and to initiate Europe-wide campaigns to combat abuse. 10. To strengthen local and regional cooperation across the EU in combating child abuse Action: — To contribute towards strengthening cooperation between local and regional authorities across the EU and the candidate countries, working in partnership with NGOs, in order to combat child abuse through the dissemination of best practice and exchange of information and the promotion of public awareness campaigns


eurovoc_concepts:
EU relations
East Timor
forced migration
human rights
humanitarian aid
multinational force
referendum
self-determination

text: 7. 7. 2000 DA De Europæiske Fællesskabers Tidende C 189/231 Torsdag, den 18. november 1999 3. opfordrer alle regeringerne til at instruere alle operatører af atomanlæg eller andre miljøfølsomme anlæg, der ikke kan dokumentere, at de er 100% år 2000-kompatible, om, at sådanne anlæg i det mindste midlertidigt skal lukkes ned ved årtusindskiftet, og at der under alle omstændigheder skal være ekstra strømforsyning til rådighed i op til 60 dage på alle atomanlæg til drift af kølepumper og sikkerhedssy- stemer, samt at der skal sørges for langsigtet back-up for kølebassiner for brugte brændselselementer; fore- slår, at Rådet og Kommissionen her lægger pres på regeringerne, især i Central- og Østeuropa, Rusland og de nye uafhængige stater samt Tyrkiet; henviser endnu en gang til sin ovennævnte beslutning af 25. februar 1999 og bemærker, at der stadig 4. synes at være to specifikke problemer: - i nogle af medlemsstaterne er der ikke gjort tilstrækkelige fremskridt, hvilket kan få følger i betragt- ning af den nuværende globale og sektorbestemte integration på tværs af grænserne - små og mellemstore virksomheder er mere udsatte for eventuelle sammenbrud end store internationale selskaber, og en række af dem kan komme til at lide store økonomiske tab, hvis de ikke tilpasser sig i tide, hvilket kræver en øjeblikkelig indsats fra Kommissionens og de nationale og regionale administra- tioners side; 5. anbefaler kraftigt, at Det Europæiske Råd i Helsinki, som finder sted kun et par uger før århundrede- skiftet, vedtager relevante foranstaltninger og fremsætter en erklæring over for de europæiske borgere om den konkrete situation, for så vidt angår dette problem, og de potentielle risici; 6. opfordrer OECD’s medlemsstater til straks at stille særlige midler til rådighed for de central- og øst- europæiske lande og de nye uafhængige stater med henblik på at finansiere alternativer til deres atomkraft- værker ved årtusindskiftet og til på mellemlang sigt at nedlukke de atomkraftværker, der ikke længere opfylder internationalt anerkendte sikkerhedsnormer, samt til at finansiere alternative energikilder; pålægger sin formand at sende denne beslutning til Rådet, Kommissionen, FN’s Sikkerhedsråd, med- 7. lemsstaternes, ansøgerlandenes og OECD-medlemmernes regeringer og IAEA. 7. Østtimor B5-0271, 0273, 0280, 0289, 0299 og 0307/1999 Europa-Parlamentets beslutning om Østtimor Europa-Parlamentet, - der henviser til sine tidligere beslutninger om situationen i Østtimor, - der henviser til resolution nr. 1264/99 fra FN’s Sikkerhedsråd, - der henviser til den erklæring, som formandskabet på EU’s vegne fremsatte den 21. september 1999, - der henviser til aftalen af 5. maj 1999 mellem Indonesien og Portugal om Østtimor-spørgsmålet og til aftalen af samme dato mellem De Forenede Nationer og den indonesiske og den portugisiske regering om høring af befolkningen i Østtimor gennem en direkte folkeafstemning og om sikkerhedsarrange- menter, A. der henviser til, at resultatet af folkeafstemningen, hvor 78,5% stemte for selvstændighed, er et klart udtryk for den østtimoriske befolknings ønske om uafhængighed, B. der henviser til, at UNAMET og de internationale observatører, herunder Parlamentets og Rådets respektive delegationer, anerkendte folkeafstemningens lovlighed og gyldighed, C 189/232 De Europæiske Fællesskabers Tidende DA 7. 7. 2000 Torsdag, den 18. november 1999 C. der henviser til, at det indonesiske politi og den indonesiske hær efter bekendtgørelsen af afstemnings- resultatet indledte en barbarisk terrorkampagne, som bragte et helt folks overlevelse i fare, D. der henviser til, at Indonesien den 12. september 1999 erkendte, at der var brug for en fredsbevarende styrke i Østtimor, E. F. der henviser til, at de internationale styrker begyndte at ankomme til Østtimor den 20. september 1999, der henviser til, at denne udstationering af fredsbevarende styrker er et bevis på det internationale samfunds vilje til at sætte en stopper for massakren på civilbefolkningen og til at finde frem til en fredelig og varig løsning på Østtimor-spørgsmålet baseret på befolkningens selvbestemmelse, G. der henviser til, at der stadig hersker en meget alvorlig humanitær situation i såvel Østtimor som Vesttimor, og til, at UNHCR frygter, at situationen vil forværre sig yderligere, medmindre indonesiske embedsmænd griber ind for at kontrollere militstroppernes aktiviteter, H. der henviser til, at der ifølge UNHCR-rapporter stadig er omkring 250. 000 flygtninge tilbage i Vest- timor, hvoraf mindst 150. 000 ønsker at vende hjem, I. J. der henviser til, at der er registreret en række hændelser, hvormed formålet helt åbenbart har været at forstyrre UNHCR’s program for repatriering til Østtimor, der er foruroliget over forlydender om, at et stort antal flygtninge er blevet tvangsforflyttet til mindre øer for at bringe dem ud af de internationale mediers søgelys og uden for de humanitære organisati- oners rækkevidde, K. der henviser til, at den nært forestående regntid måske ikke blot vil gøre det vanskeligt at bevare vidnesbyrd om grusomheder, men også forsinke repatrieringen af flygtninge fra Vesttimor yderligere og derfor muligvis forårsage endnu flere menneskelige tragedier, L. der er foruroliget over forlydender om, at der i Østtimor forekommer systematiske, omfattende og åbenbare krænkelser af internationale humanitære bestemmelser og af menneskerettighederne, og som understreger, at personer, der gør sig skyldige i sådanne krænkelser, personligt bærer ansvaret herfor, M. der henviser til, at Østtimor, når først det har opnået selvstændighed, kunne tiltræde Lomé-konventi- onen som en del af Stillehavsgruppen, anerkender og støtter den østtimoriske befolknings klare demokratiske ønske om selvstændighed og 1. om at danne en ny stat; 2. glæder sig over udstationeringen af en international fredsbevarende styrke i Østtimor; sætter stor pris på den indsats, som de FN-medlemsstater, især Australien og ASEAN-landene, der har 3. bidraget til den internationale styrke med tropper og materiel, har ydet; 4. opfordrer den internationale styrke til fortsat at opfylde sit mandat til at genetablere fred og sikker- hed, lette humanitære operationer og beskytte UNAMET og støtte denne mission i udførelsen af dens opgaver; 5. opfordrer den indonesiske regering til fuldt ud at samarbejde med den internationale styrke samt med de humanitære organisationer i forbindelse med disses bestræbelser på at opfylde deres respektive man- dater og til at lette en hurtig neutralisering og afvæbning af eventuelle paramilitære enheder ved grænsen, som hindrer såvel repatrieringsprogrammet som den humanitære bistand i flygtningelejrene; 6. fordømmer enhver tvangsforflytning af flygtninge og opfordrer den indonesiske regering til at sørge for fuldstændig og betingelsesløs adgang til hjælpeorganisationerne og, til at sikre, at flygtningenes egen frie vilje ikke undermineres af misvisende propaganda, samt til at være mere behjælpelig med en sikker repatriering af flygtninge, der ønsker at vende hjem; 7. 7. 2000 DA De Europæiske Fællesskabers Tidende C 189/233 Torsdag, den 18. november 1999 7. støtter fuldt ud UNHCR’s bestræbelser på at få afsluttet programmet med repatriering til Østtimor af flygtninge, der ønsker at vende hjem, inden regntiden sætter ind og vanskeliggør adgangen til landets indre; opfordrer de indonesiske myndigheder til fuldt ud at støtte alle bestræbelser på at finde frem til de mange flygtninge, der stadig savnes; 8. fordømmer på det skarpeste de massakrer og kriminelle handlinger, der er begået mod befolkningen i Østtimor; insisterer på, at straffrihed for de begåede grusomheder ikke kan tolereres, og kræver på det bestemteste, at en FN-undersøgelseskommission undersøger, hvem der har ansvaret for massakrerne og for alle de øvrige krænkelser af menneskerettighederne og de humanitære bestemmelser, og at der snarest muligt oprettes en international domstol for de forbrydelser, der er begået i Østtimor; 9. opfordrer Rådet til at overveje at yde teknisk bistand til FN-organer i Østtimor med henblik på beva- relse og undersøgelse af vidnesbyrd om grusomheder begået under den nu afsluttede besættelse af landet; glæder sig over oprettelsen af UNTAET og opfordrer denne mission til hurtigt at opfylde sit mandat 10. for så vidt angår fastlæggelsen af en ordning for Østtimors forvaltning og gennemførelsen af en sådan ordning; kræver, at repræsentanter for den østtimoriske befolkning fuldt ud inddrages i denne proces for på denne måde at udvise fuld respekt for befolkningens suverænitet; henstiller indtrængende til EU’s medlemsstater, AVS-EU-Rådet og AVS-landene at anerkende staten 11. Østtimor og hurtigst muligt oprette diplomatiske forbindelser med den; opfordrer EU-medlemsstaterne til at yde støtte til de østtimoriske flygtninge i EU, der frivilligt er 12. vendt tilbage til deres land for at bistå med genopbygningen; 13. opfordrer EU til blandt andet at fremme genopbygningen af civilsamfundet i Østtimor og henstiller til EU-medlemsstaternes regeringer, og til det internationale samfund generelt, straks og effektivt at inten- sivere den humanitære bistand til den østtimoriske befolkning og at yde finansiel og økonomisk støtte til genopbygningen af Østtimor og til landets overgang til selvstændighed; 14. opfordrer EU til straks at opføre tilstrækkelige bevillinger til Østtimor på budgettet og bekræfter sin afgørelse om på 2000-budgettet at opføre en bevilling til støtte for genopbygningsarbejdet, erhvervslivet og dannelsen af et selvstændigt Østtimor, navnlig gennem etableringen af en specifik budgetpost over flere år; opfordrer Kommissionen til at indlede forberedelserne til Østtimors hurtige tiltrædelse af Lomé-kon- 15. ventionen; opfordrer sin formand at tage initiativ til, under hensyntagen til allerede eksisterende kompetente 16. udvalg og delegationer, at nedsætte en delegation, som kan aflægge besøg i Østtimor for at danne sig et førstehåndsindtryk af situationen i landet; 17. pålægger sin formand at sende denne beslutning til Rådet, Kommissionen, medlemsstaternes parla- menter, FN’s generalsekretær, den indonesiske regering, ASEAN, lederen af den østtimoriske modstands- bevægelse, Xanana Gusmao, og UNHCR