Moscovici: I truly hope the adoption issue will be solved in the coming months

Bucharest Daily News
March 14, 2006

Moscovici: I truly hope the adoption issue will be solved in the coming months
Denisa Maruntoiu

Moscovici, the vice president of the European Parliament, believes that Romania will solve its problems concerning international adoptions.

The vice president of the European Parliament (EP), who is also the EP rapporteur on Romania, Pierre Moscovici, believes that the EU lawmakers' vote in December on his report on Romania's progress towards EU accession clearly underlines that the members of the EP support the resumption of international adoptions, especially in the cases of the "pipeline" children. What's more, Moscovici labels the vote as marking a turning point in the position of the EP, which until recently appeared to be a genuine supporter of the former rapporteur on Romania and leader of the most forceful anti-international adoption campaign, Baroness Emma Nicholson.

"Having taken over Emma Nicholson's role as the EU Parliament rapporteur on Romania, I hold her contribution in high respect and place myself in the continuity of her work, even though our approaches and sensitivities differ. We notably differ on the issue of international adoptions of Romanian children. While Mrs. Nicholson was the force behind the 2001 moratorium on such procedures, and remains a defender of this ban, I believe the situation is a more complex one that must be considered in its multiple aspects and treated carefully. Indeed, the moratorium has put many prospective adopted parents, as well as the children with whom they had begun to form family ties, in a situation of cruel emotional distress. I understand the arguments and objectives underpinning a ban on international adoptions - notably the aim of preventing child trafficking; just as I know that it is not the role of the EU Parliament to press the Romanian government to change its legislation, upon which it has complete sovereignty. However, in my assessment of Romania's state of preparedness to EU accession, the welfare of its orphans has come up as one of the issues requiring attention and reform. It is of prime importance that the interest of the child be the foremost consideration, both in the management of orphanages and the treatment of adoption requests. It is in this perspective that my last report, on behalf of the EU Parliament, strongly encourages the resolution of the "pipeline cases" created by the 2001 moratorium. I believe that these cases should be considered individually and with care, so as to allow inter-country adoptions where they are deemed appropriate, and keeping in mind the international legal framework - notably the UN Convention for the rights of the child. Article 23 of my report, which deals with this issue, was the object of much discussion, both in the Foreign Affairs Committee and during the plenary session of the Parliament. Indeed, it marks a turning point in the position of the EU parliament on this matter; and testifies that many MEPs are sensitive to the pain faced by the families involved and view favorably the possibility of international adoptions in those special cases. Their stance is, of course, borne out of compassion and concern for the children involved above all; and certainly not an interested maneuver. I remain in close contact and excellent relations with the Romanian president and government; and I truly hope that this issue can be resolved in the coming months."