Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE). – (ES) Mr President, the establishment of a second phase of the DAPHNE Programme to ensure continuity of the projects approved by the DAPHNE I Programme undoubtedly provides us with an excellent opportunity to talk once again about the instruments available to us for combating violence against women and children.

This is without doubt one of the most serious problems faced both by societies in the less developed countries and by our societies, which we consider to be democratic and to comply with a genuine rule of law. So we could ask ourselves, what kind of rule of law is this if it does not protect women?

Violence against women affects all of us, even in countries with relatively egalitarian societies and with women fully incorporated into active and autonomous life. These things do not only take place outside our borders. It appears that violence against women has deep roots and that they are established in the very part of the world that we live in.

The European Union – this Parliament, most directly – must send an unequivocal sign of its firm commitment to combating this violence which kills hundreds of women and which makes thousands of them suffer unjustly and avoidably.

The DAPHNE Programme has been an essential instrument for trying to combat this violence, but it has been restricted by its budget.

In 2004 the European Union will be enlarged to 25 countries and the rights of the women and girls of these acceding countries are seriously unprotected and a large number of them, furthermore, are victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as suffering violence within their families.

The initial budget is clearly insufficient – everybody has acknowledged this – and this Parliament's message must be crystal clear to all citizens. The increase to EUR 65 million proposed by the Group of the Party of European Socialists is therefore much needed.

The mid-term assessment of the DAPHNE Programme has demonstrated the need to continue with the programme. The DAPHNE Programme is one of those small grains of sand with which the Union’s institutions can contribute to relieving the pain, exploitation and abuse that many women and children have to live with within our borders.

I would like to congratulate Mrs Gröner on her report, the Commission on its work and, above all, the broad spectrum of women's organisations which strive every day to try to build a different world.