Written Question Roberta Angelilli (PPE) & Reply

The Commission is aware and shares the Honourable Member's concerns with regard to the situation of abandoned children and children placed in orphanages in Romania.

The Commission is aware of the Romanian Law No 273/2004 which restricts international adoption to relatives up to the third degree. Matters related to international adoptions fall solely under the national competence of the Member States.

As regards the quality of orphanages, a recent study⁽¹⁾ financed by the Commission confirms that institutional care is often of unacceptably poor quality and that conditions in institutional care may sometimes constitute serious breaches of internationally accepted human rights standards. Although matters related to child protection systems, social inclusion of children and the administration of childcare institutions fall under the competence of the Member States, the Commission seeks to promote a high quality of social protection for children in the EU. The Commission supports the exchange of good practice and policy coordination through the open method of coordination in the field of social protection and inclusion. In its 2009 Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion⁽²⁾, the Commission identified a number of National Action Plans in which Member States recognise the need to combine a universal approach for children's well-being with a more targeted approach for children in vulnerable situations.

On 23 September 2009, the Ad Hoc Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care submitted a report which addressed the issue of institutional care reform⁽³⁾. One of the recommendations refers to the ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has been signed by both the (then) European Community and its 27 Member States, including Romania⁽⁴⁾. To comply with the obligations stemming from the Convention, EU Member States will need to reform their institutional care and long-term care services to ensure that persons with disabilities (including children) have access to services and facilities meeting their needs and allowing them to be included in the community.

The EU structural funds provide financial support to Member States' actions in the field of social protection. Under the 2007?13 financial perspective, one of the main objectives of the European Social Fund (ESF) is to promote social inclusion and equal opportunities. Romania has available funds under the ESF to help 5 400 young people leaving the institutions integrate into the labour market and society, by raising their job-related and social skills. Moreover, 10 000 professionals in the field of social inclusion will be trained to work with such vulnerable groups as children in residential institutions or leaving such institutions.

In addition, financial support for improving the social infrastructure is provided to Romania under European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), within the Regional Operational Programme 2007?13. The programme comprises a specific allocation to facilitate citizens' access to essential services, improve infrastructure in the field of health, education, social and public safety in emergency situations. The programme finances projects proposed by local authorities for rehabilitation, modernization, development and equipping of the multifunctional or residential social centres buildings. The list of social projects which were selected up to now by Romanian authorities for financing under 2007?13 Cohesion policy is posted on the site www.fonduri-ue.ro.