European Parliament
President.
Question No 3 by Maurizio Turco , which has been taken over by Gianfranco Dell'Alba
Subject: Prisoners in the EU – minimum standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms
Parliament has noted year after year, in its reports on human rights in the EU, the dramatic and disturbing state of affairs in the Union's prisons. It has repeatedly called on the Council and Commission to take action to define certain minimum standards with regard to respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of prisoners in the Union. The President-in-Office of the Justice and Internal Affairs Council, Mr Roberto Castelli, has announced on behalf of the Italian Presidency, at hearings held by the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, that an inquiry is to be carried out into the execution of sentences and prison systems. Mr Castelli stated in an article published on 7 August 2003 in the 'Corriere della Sera' that he had 'launched an initiative for the definition of thresholds of acceptable conditions in the EU's prisons'.
Can the Council provide details of this initiative, specifying its expected stages and the progress achieved so far and setting out its objectives? Can it send the relevant documents to Parliament? Does the Council, in particular, intend to prepare a framework decision on the matter, given that this is the only instrument that can ensure that the standards are binding and are properly respected?

