Increase of EU funding for rehabilitation of torture victims
Pergunta Oral de Joaquim Miranda
10 de Junho de 2003

Recognizing that the prevention of torture is fundamental in an holistic approach aiming at the eradication of torture, why has the Commission decided to substitute support to prevention to torture for rehabilitation of torture victims, and dramatically reduced - against the will of the European Parliament - its funding allocated to the rehabilitation of torture victims between 2001 and 2002 from 14,5 million Euro to 8,2 million Euro, which is a reduction with 45%?

Has the Commission made a list of those NGOs and centres which as a result must now drastically reduce the level of assistance they used to provide to victims or even close their doors and will this list be made public to the European Parliament? What immediate solution will the Commission offer to these NGOs and centres to prevent their bankrupcy?

What long term solution does the Commission propose to ensure that funds made available in the EU budget for torture related activities are sufficient to meet the needs for both rehabilitation and prevention projects?

Can the Commission guarantee that the amount for the assistance to the victims of torture in the Budget line B7-701 will at least be kept at the level of 8 million Euro for organisations outside the EU (level of 2001)?

In a longer term perspective, what solution will the Commission offer in order to strengthen the EU integrated approach of the fight against torture, deriving from the EU Guidelines, and in which prevention and rehabilitation are considered as the 2 faces of the same medal?