Brussels, 01/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - A ten-member delegation from the European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities will be on a visit to Turkey from 31 January to 2 February to prepare a hearing on women's rights in Turkey. Their visit will be followed by a hearing in Brussels on 16 March and Dutch Socialist Emine Bozkurt will draw up a report. According to a press release, the report which “will be one of the first political opportunities to measure Turkey's progress after the decision by the European Council of 17 December 2004 to open negotiations” with Turkey. It will focus on legislative changes concerning women's rights, the practical implementation of this legislation and the relations between Turkish civil society and the European Union.
The delegation will be headed by Anna Zaborska (EPP-ED, Slovakia), who chairs the parliamentary committee. Ms Zaborska will pay extra attention to the plight of poor women in Turkey, the press release states, pointing out that the ten MEPs will also give attention to violence against women during their visit.
In addition to Anna Zaborska and Emine Bozkurt, the delegation is made up of: Angelika Niebler (Germany), Edite Bauer (Slovakia) and Marie Panayotopoulos (Greece) for the EPP-ED Group; Lissy Gröner (Germany), Katerina Batzeli (Greece) and Teresa Riera Madurell (Spain) for the PES Group; Maria Carlshamre (Sweden) for the ALDE Group; and Hiltrud Breyer (Germany) for the Greens/EFA Group.