Commission takes Romania’s word on adoptions

By David Cronin

Date: 29/01/04

THE European Commission has accepted assurances from Romania that its moratorium on child adoptions by foreigners is still being enforced despite a recent bilateral accord with Rome allowing Italian families to take in 105 chi

Although news of the Italian deal provoked outrage among some MEPs - Dutch Christian Democrat Arie Oostlander called for Romania's EU accession talks to be halted in protest - Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen moved to cool tempers this week.

On Tuesday (27 January), he met Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana and had a telephone conversation with premier Adrian Nastase about the moratorium, imposed in 2001 after evidence surfaced that human traffickers were exploiting lax controls over the adoption of Romanian children.

Verheugen said Nastase had told him the 105 children destined for Italy were "pipeline cases", which were being processed when the moratorium was introduced. Foreign adoptions are permitted in such cases, Nastase reportedly added.

Apart from those cases, "the prime minister confirmed the moratorium is still in place", Verheugen explained. "The moratorium can be lifted only when legislation is in place in line with international standards."

According to Geoana, long-awaited legislation on child protection and adoptions - designed to plug the loopholes in previous laws - is due to be presented to Romania's parliament by mid-February.