92000E2465

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2465/00

by Mary Banotti (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: European standards for the embalming and transfer of remains

The question of repatriation of human remains within the EU was dramatically brought to my attention with the case of the transfer of the body of a person who died suddenly in Portugal to Ireland. The body arrived in such an advanced state of decay that the family were unable to view the body before the funeral, thus causing unnecessary added stress to the family concerned.

Given that EU citizens are moving more and more frequently between Member States both for work and leisure and that inevitably there will be an increase in the number of transfers of remains from one EU Member State to another, would the Commission consider looking into the provision of a regulation governing standards in the field of embalming and transfer of remains in order to avoid such distressing circumstances arising in the future?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

The Commission regrets the distress suffered by the family of the dead person to whom the question refers.

Regulations governing the transfer of remains of dead persons are laid down in the International Agreement of Berlin (1937, No 4391 League of Nations Treaty Series) and by the Agreement on the transfer of corpses of the Council of Europe concluded in September 1973. As stated in its reply to Written Questions E-0144/95 and E-0428/95 by Mr White(1), the Commission, following extensive consultations with all parties concerned, concluded that detailed harmonisation of national rules in this area over and above what already exists is neither desirable nor necessary and would not be justified from the point of view of subsidiarity and proportionality.

(1) OJ C 202, 7.8.1995.