On Thursday 12 January, MEPs from the European Parliament’s Committees on Civil Liberties (LIBE) and Gender Equality (FEMM) debated the proposed directive to combat violence against women (see EUROPE 13095/1, 13069/10) and the EU’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention. In both cases, they called on the EU to be ambitious.
Directive on violence against women
While rapporteurs Evin Incir (S&D, Swedish) and Frances Fitzgerald (EPP, Irish) welcomed the committee’s work on the gender violence directive, they called for it to be further strengthened through 179 amendments.
In terms of prevention, they stressed the importance of having “conversations on harmful gender-based stereotypes and age-appropriate sexual education” from a young age, as well as ensuring that relevant professionals are trained regarding gender-based violence.
They also suggested extending the definition of rape to “acts of a non-consensual nature that in view of the gravity of the act is comparable to penetration” and introducing the notion of “negligent rape linked to the absence of consent”. María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos (Renew Europe, Spanish) opposed this notion, pointing out that in the absence of explicit consent, it is rape.
In addition, the rapporteurs proposed to criminalise forced sterilisation, procuring and “the purchase of sexual acts”. This last point is likely to be debated, including within the political groups. Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová (Renew Europe, Slovakian), in contradiction with Ms Rodríguez Ramos, for example, was strongly opposed. Not only does “the Istanbul Convention [not] define prostitution itself as a form of violence against women”, but associations active in the field also believe that “this approach has not reduced trafficking nor sex workers and has not stopped violent or abusive clients”, she said.
Finally, the rapporteurs proposed to extend the list of crimes in the digital space to include a reference to psychological violence, to strengthen the definition of sexual harassment in the workplace, and to consider honour killings and violence against public figures, journalists or human rights defenders as aggravating factors.
While some aspects of the report are debated, on the whole, MEPs welcomed the work of the rapporteurs, with most only calling for some aspects to be strengthened. Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé (EPP, French) suggested aligning European legislation in the area of sanctions and strengthening prevention through comprehensive information for all and the possibility for Member States to issue protection orders quickly. Pina Picierno (S&D, Italian) focused on the protection of minors living in a situation of domestic violence. Still others called for the introduction of access to abortion as a right within the directive.
To read the draft report: https://aeur.eu/f/4uy
Istanbul Convention
Discussions then turned to the draft interim report by Arba Kokalari (EPP, Swedish) and Łukasz Kohut (S&D, Polish) aimed at encouraging the EU Council and Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention. Presented to the European Parliament’s LIBE and FEMM committees last November (see EUROPE 13073/26), the final text will be put to the vote on 25 January.
To read the draft report: https://aeur.eu/f/4uz
And the amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/4v0
On the same day, Paulina Brandberg, Swedish Minister for Gender Equality, will present the priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council. MEPs underlined their hopes that this presidency will bring about the successful ratification of the convention (see EUROPE 13093/8). (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)