European Parliament 17 July 2001, WRITTEN QUESTION E-2129/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Legislation against domestic and sexual violence for the protection of women and minors in the candidate countries.

also the fact that many of these countries have suffered an environmental disaster. The soil, and hence also animal fodder, has been contaminated with heavy metals, such as cadmium, mercury and lead, in addition to radioactive nuclides resulting from the fallout from Chernobyl. According to EU estimates, Italy imports more than 200 000 horses per year, 70 % of them from Eastern Europe.