A/HRC/13/31 were transported in and out of Europe. The Government allegedly allowed these planes to land on its territories without adopting any measure to prevent their use for secret detention and rendition. Reply from the Government 434. On 21 June 2009, the Government replied to this general allegation stating that it is baseless. The alleged involvement of the Government in the practice of rendition and secret detention has been raised previously in two enquiries conducted in 2006 respectively by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe and by the European Parliament. 435. The Portuguese authorities never issued nor received any request for an overflight or landing authorization of an aircraft of the type allegedly used to transport victims of rendition. There is no evidence that any aircraft of such a type has entered and used Portuguese airspace. 436. Regarding the measures undertaken to ensure that airports in Portuguese territory were not used to transport victims of rendition, the Government replied that strict control mechanisms are in place regarding transiting aircrafts and that they are strictly adhered to although the procedures and the authorities responsible differ in case of civil or military aircrafts. 437. Regarding the investigations which were undertaken, the Government affirmed that in addition to those carried out to reply to the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, which involved several ministries, a specific investigation was undertaken by the Public Prosecution Service from February 2007 to June 2009 and concluded for lack of evidence. The Service is a branch of the Magistracy which is autonomous from the executive power. 438. As for the existence of prompt and effective remedy for victims of enforced disappearances and their families, the Government stated that the Constitution provide those guarantees, specifically in article 27. Those victims who cannot afford a legal representative can rely on the Public Prosecution Service to prepare on their behalf an application for compensation. No victim of enforced disappearances has ever requested reparation by the Portuguese Government. Observations 439. The Working Group notes that the Government has signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and calls upon the Government to ratify it and accept the competence of the Committee under articles 31 and 32. Romania Number of outstanding cases at the beginning of the period under review 0 GE.09-17704 Cases transmitted to the Government during the period under review: 0 Cases clarified during the period under review: 0 Cases sent under the urgent action procedure Cases sent under the standard procedure 0 0 Government Nongovernmental sources Number of outstanding cases at the end of the year under review 0 0 0 93