Debates of the European Parliament

SITTING OF WEDNESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 2001

Question Time (Council)

Karamanou (PSE).(EL) I should like to thank the President-in-Office for her most satisfactory reply. We all know that the European Union is very sensitive about respect for human rights and that this sensitivity is expressed in the Treaties and in the European Convention on Human Rights.

However, Madam President-in-Office, anyone who reads the recent Amnesty International report on the torture suffered by thousands of people throughout the world because of their sexual orientation will feel that what we are doing in the European Union is not enough. The UN Commission on Human Rights recently took an initiative to encourage people to file charges if they are tortured or their human rights are violated because of their sexual identity. Are you perhaps planning to take a similar initiative at European Union level?