91998E2383

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2383/98

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Council

(27 July 1998)

Subject: Funding for centres for the rehabilitation of torture victims

The recent decision by the Court of Justice that there is no legal basis for certain Community budgetary headings has immediate implications for a large number of centres for the rehabilitation of torture victims, including the Athens centre, which receives 95 % of its funding from the European Union. In view of the fact that the Athens Centre for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims receives a large number of refugees from the Balkans, eastern and central Europe and the Middle East and provides valuable support for victims who are seeking information, assistance and medical care, what steps will the Council take to overcome the obstacles created by the decision of the European Court of Justice so that EU funding for the valuable work done by such centres may continue?

Reply

(19 October 1998)

The Honourable Member's attention is drawn to the fact that, at the Budget Council meeting on 17 July 1998, the Council approved the Commission's intention, within the context of its responsibilities under Article 205 of the Treaty, of implementing in 1998 certain headings for which a legal basis had been proposed but not yet adopted.

The Council considers that the implementation of measures for which a legal basis has been proposed and which are recognised as being politically sensitive - such as the measure referred to by the Honourable Member, insofar as it comes within the sphere of human rights measures - could therefore be resumed without delay.

Also at the meeting, the Parliament and the Council undertook, each for the budget headings that concerned it, to ensure that the legislative procedures in progress were speeded up so that decisions on basic instruments that were proposed but not yet adopted could be taken as soon as possible.