Brussels, 07/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - MEPs intend to put the European Commission on the spot over violence against women. Oral questions will be put to the Commission during the Parliament's plenary session at the end of November. One third of women over the age of 15 have suffered sexual violence in Europe.
The Parliamentary women's rights and gender equality committee decided on Thursday 6 November to ask the Commission to set out what it intends to do in tackling violence against women. In a resolution adopted in February, Parliament recommended that a raft of measures be taken (including education programmes and telephone help line). Some months later, however, the Commission indicated that it would not formulate any legislative proposals for such prevention measures. Parliament will this time ask the Commission what it intends to put in place to address this form of violence. MEPs will ask the Commission to ensure that gender-based violence be treated as a criminal offence in the EU treaty (Article 83: 1). The Commission will be asked to revise existing legislation with a view to combatting emerging forms of violence against women, such as online harassment. The Commission will also be asked to take steps to ensure that 2016 becomes the EU Year to End Violence Against Women. (MD)