On 3 September at the Commission for Development and Co-operation of the European Parliament, examination began of the “Proposal for a Ruling of the European Parliament and of the Council for supporting policies and activities concerning reproductive and sexual health and associated rights in developing countries” published in the European Community’s Official Gazette (GUCE C 151 E/260) of 25/6/2002 (cf SirEuropa n.26 of 4/7/2002). The relator of the proposal before the parliamentary commission is the Dane, Ulla Margrethe Sandbaek, president of the inter-parliamentary group on population, sustainable development and reproductive health. The vote on amendments and on the proposal as a whole is due to take place before 2 October. The definitive text of the ruling must be adopted by the European Union Council and by the European Parliament following the co-decisonal procedure. The plenary of the European Parliament is expected to discuss and vote on the proposal approved by the Commission for Development; the plenary session will open on 21 October. Finally, the EU Council has the task of reaching, by qualified majority, a common position on the proposal approved by the Parliament. The ruling should come into effect in 2003 for an initial period of 4 years and with a balance of 55.8 million euros. In terms of its article 2, the Ruling has three aims: “Guaranteeing the rights of women, men and adolescents to good reproductive and sexual hygiene; guaranteeing women, men and adolescents access to all the services and products necessary to guarantee safe reproductive and sexual hygiene; reducing mortality rates among mothers, especially in those countries and among those peoples where they are highest”. Benefiting from this ruling, according to its promoters, will be the poorest and least developed countries and the most disadvantaged strata of the population in developing countries. The ruling will be implemented by allocating non-refundable financial aid, and by providing specific technical assistance and consultancy following a community bidding contest which will also be open to non governmental organisations, regional organisations, local bodies and research institutes.
