# CE2004065EN.01012901.xml

| 13.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 65/129 |
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13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 65/129

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(2004/C 65 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2311/03

by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) to the Council

(8 July 2003)

Subject:   Freedom and pluralism of communications media and granting the EU powers in this field under the European constitution

Subject:

Knowing that:

| — | mass communications media, particularly television, are playing an increasingly important role in providing citizens with information and with cultural and civic education, and in creating the conditions under which consensus can emerge; |
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mass communications media, particularly television, are playing an increasingly important role in providing citizens with information and with cultural and civic education, and in creating the conditions under which consensus can emerge;

| — | it should be borne in mind that the effects of the role played by the media may be determined by the social, political and cultural opinions their ownership and management choose to propagate; |
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it should be borne in mind that the effects of the role played by the media may be determined by the social, political and cultural opinions their ownership and management choose to propagate;

| — | in a society organised on the basis of democratic principles, pluralism and impartiality of sources of information and culture are vital factors in ensuring the proper functioning and survival of institutions and thus of the democratic system, as highlighted in the Declaration of Rome adopted on 30 November 2002 by the European Association of Former Members of Parliament of the Member States of the Council of Europe or European Union (point 5); |
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in a society organised on the basis of democratic principles, pluralism and impartiality of sources of information and culture are vital factors in ensuring the proper functioning and survival of institutions and thus of the democratic system, as highlighted in the Declaration of Rome adopted on 30 November 2002 by the European Association of Former Members of Parliament of the Member States of the Council of Europe or European Union (point 5);

| — | the need to ensure pluralism in the media and prevent concentration in one or a few dominant centres of political and economic interest, which are capable of influencing national policy, is a matter of importance worthy of being dealt with at constitutional level, and indeed has already been enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, |
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the need to ensure pluralism in the media and prevent concentration in one or a few dominant centres of political and economic interest, which are capable of influencing national policy, is a matter of importance worthy of being dealt with at constitutional level, and indeed has already been enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

Will the Council take steps to ensure that, when the European constitution is drawn up, freedom and pluralism of the media are included among the Union's values (Article 2 of the preliminary draft) and that the protection of these rights is included among the Union's objectives (Article 3 of the preliminary draft), while specifying the conditions and means deemed necessary for securing and maintaining them, and conferring the relevant powers upon the Union, either exclusively or jointly with the Member States?

Reply

(17 November 2003)

(17 November 2003)

The Council is not competent to reply to the question asked by the Honourable Member. It will be for the Intergovernmental Conference on the revision of the Treaties, which is due to meet in October 2003, to decide on this question if need be.

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