Brussels, 27/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 25 November, the International Day against Violence towards Women, the President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell restated that combating this kind of violence “must be based on legislation at European level”, and that “cultural or ancestral practices, the abuse of alcohol or drugs cannot be used as an excuse or as a mitigating circumstance”. The Parliament has asked the European Commission to declare a “European Year against men's violence towards women” and to “establish a work plan in the fight against violence,” said Mr Borrell. He noted that this violence was “a worldwide drama” and that, in the EU, it “has not stopped increasing and is present across all strata of society and in all countries”. It had become “a societal problem and it is only by working together, both men and women, that we can eradicate it,” he concluded. (mg)