Alarming situation of orphans in Romania

22.7.2010

Question for written answer E-6272/2010
to the Commission
Rule 117
Roberta Angelilli (PPE)

The alarming situation of abandoned children in Romania has become an increasingly serious and burning issue following the approval of Romanian Law No 273/2004 restricting intercountry adoptions to relatives up to the third degree. This restriction has led to an exponential rise in the number of Romanian children entrusted to orphanages. Moreover, under Romanian law, Romanian orphans lose their entitlement to child protection services on reaching the age of 18 and thus risk facing social exclusion and poverty. In some cases, they are also exploited by prostitution networks. Unfortunately, these minors include many young girls, some of them under the age of 14, who are deluded by promises of a better life in another country.

The Community institutions have consistently sought to uphold human rights, in particular children's rights, and all the EU Member States consider paedophilia, the exploitation of prostitution and trafficking in human organs to be criminal offences, punishable in their courts.

1. Is the Commission aware of the above developments and the current situation of orphans in Romania?

2. What measures could, in its view, be taken to protect Romanian children placed in orphanages?

3. Will it provide an overview of the situation?

OJ C 216 E, 22/07/2011