Proposal for a European Day Against The Death Penalty to be jointly held on 10 October by the European Commission, the governments of the Member States and the European Parliament

20.9.2007

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4709/07
by Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE)
to the Commission

The EU Council of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs was unable to agree on holding a European Day Against The Death Penalty on 10 October, owing only to opposition from the Polish Government, whereas unanimity was required.

I believe the attitude of the Warsaw administration poses a clear challenge to the fundamental values of the EU, which are shared by its citizens.

The abolition of the death penalty is an indispensable condition for accession to the EU and represents one of the Union's key priorities on the international stage. The decision to block the holding of a European day against capital punishment is regrettable, and one which, we certainly believe, would not meet with the approval of the majority of Polish citizens.

In the light of this decision, does the Commission not believe that, as an institution, it could adopt a formal agreement by virtue of which it could hold official events on 10 October at its headquarters in the capital cities of the 27 Member States, in conjunction with the governments of the Member States and the European Parliament, to campaign against the death penalty? Does the Commission not consider that this agreement could take the name of ‘European Day Against The Death Penalty’ and include the aforementioned activities?

OJ C 191, 29/07/2008