Welcoming the broad political and institutional efforts by all parties in the drafting of a positive directive on the European protection order, Swedish GUE/NGL MEP and Chair of Parliament's Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee, Mikael Gustafsson said the new provisions were "a further step towards a safer Europe for all citizens, but especially for women who make up a large majority of the victims".

"Under the European protection order, victims granted protection in an EU Member State will be able to get similar protection when they move to another EU country. This is important. The protection extends to victims of gender violence, harassment, abduction, persecution or attempted murder."

"From a gender perspective, the European protection order will primarily deal with the symptoms of gender violence and is one of several steps towards addressing the root cause of male violence against women. The next step should be a comprehensive EU strategy on violence against women, a strategy that makes it easier to find concrete solutions to overcome these heinous gender-related crimes." 

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu

gabrielle.kavanagh@europarl.europa.eu

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu