By Bruno Waterfield - 9th March 2006
New anti-prostitution visa requirements for women travelling to the World Cup in Germany are “blatent discrimination”, claim MEPs.
Senior female centre-left MEPs have reacted angrily to extra European commission justice measures announced on International Women’s Day.
Justice commissioner Franco Frattini is to urge tougher visa requirements, targeting women, for football fans from non-EU countries.
The measure is a bid to tackle trafficking in prostitutes as over one million mostly male soccer fans converge on Germany for the tournament in June.
But Frattini’s proposals for the creation of a short-term visa for women from some non-EU countries has sparked anger in the European parliament
Socialist MEPs, Germany’s Lissy Groener, Italy’s Pia Locatelli and Austria’s Christa Prets have urged EU action against criminals – not women.
“We are appalled. Mr Frattini has come up with the wrong solution for tackling the problem. We need action against the smugglers behind the forced prostitution of women – not even more discrimination against women.”
“If the Frattini proposal is adopted, all women who need visas to go to Germany will be required to meet new visa requirements for the World Cup. This is blatant discrimination against all women.”
“The rich traffickers – who make an estimated $67,000 a year for every woman they smuggle – will go unscathed,” they said in a statement.
The MEPs are calling for the creation of special police units to target traffickers and urged EU member states to implement a 2002 directive adopted to give victims rights of residence.
Frattini is to argue for the measures in new proposals set for April – the crackdown will see restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarian travellers that do not now need visas.
“You know very well, in the eastern dimension of Europe, there is an origin region for prostitution,” Frattini said on Wednesday.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.