Directive64/432/EECof26June1964(1)andthewelfareconditionsforanimalsduringtransportarelaid
downinCouncilDirective91/628/EECof19November1991(2).BothDirectiveshavebeenamendedby
theCouncilandtheParliamentinordertotakeintoaccounttheevolutionofthesinglemarket.
Compliance with the animal health and welfare requirements set down in these Directives must be
ascertained andcertified by anofficialveterinarian atthe place oforigin. The intendedmovementissubsequentlyrecordedinthecomputerisednetworkANIMOtoensuretraceabilityoftheanimalsandtoallowtheofficialveterinarianatdestinationtocarryoutnon-discriminatorychecks,ifconsiderednecessaryand/orrequiredbylegislation.
Initsresolutionof12December2002theParliamentemphasisedtheneedtoreinforcecontrolsonthe
movementofandtradeinliveanimalsasessentialprerequisitestopreventthetransmissionofmajorepidemicdiseases,suchasfoot-and-mouthdiseaseorclassicalswinefever,andtoguaranteecompliancewithanimalwelfarerequirementsduringtransport.
Intheaftermathofthe2001foot-and-mouthdiseasecrisis,theCommissionhasadoptedprovisionsto
reinforcethecontrolsontradeinanimalsandhassubmittedproposalstotheCounciltofurtherstrengthenthecontrolsonmovementsofanimalsintheMemberStates.Itisthereforenotforeseentoproposeanyfundamentalchangetothecurrentsystemofveterinarycertificationfortradeinliveanimals,althoughtheCommission is continuously working on improvements to take into account evolving technicaldevelopments.
(1) OJP121,29.7.1964.
(2) OJL340,11.12.1991.
(2004/C58E/206) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2668/03
byBriceHortefeux(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(10September2003)
Subject:Pricesofreimbursablemedicines
Aspresent,pricesofreimbursablemedicinesvarygreatlyfromoneMemberStatetoanother.
Giventhecurrentbudgetaryausterityandmassivesicknessinsurancedeficits,newmethodsofregulating
spendingonpharmaceuticalproductsareclearlyrequiredtoreducethegrowingimpactofthesepricedifferences.
Since health is not a communitarised policy area, total harmonisation is clearly impossible, but the
Commission could usefully launch a review of the main points at issue and thus help increase the
transparencyofthepricesituationinthedifferentMemberStates.
HastheCommissionalreadytakenanystepsinthisdirection?Ifso,whatarethey,andwhatistheplanned
timetable?
AnswergivenbyMrLiikanenonbehalfoftheCommission
(15October2003)
Thepricesandreimbursementsofmedicinesarematterswhichgenerallyremaintheresponsibilityofthe
MemberStates.However,inviewoftheconsequencesarisingfromdifferencesinthepriceschargedintheMemberStates,especiallywithregardtoaccesstomedicines,theyarematterswhichareofconcerntotheCommission.ThefactisthatdifferencesinthewayofregulatingpricesineachMemberStatecanresultinsignificantvariationsinthetimeittakesformedicinesactuallytobecomeavailabletopatients.Inaddition,theparalleltradeinmedicines,linkedtothepricedifferentialbetweenMemberStates,togetherwiththequotameasurestakenbytheindustrytocombatthisfeature,couldpossiblyinterruptsuppliesincountrieswiththelowestprices.6.3.2004EN C58E/191 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Initscommunicationentitled‘AstrongerEuropean-basedpharmaceuticalindustryforthebenefitofthe
patient/dashacallforaction’(1)of1July2003,theCommissiontackledthequestionofmedicinepricesin
severalchapters.
InitscommunicationtheCommissionsuggestedanumberofwaystointroducemeasurestomakethe
marketmorevigorousandcompetitivewithaviewtoencouragingmarketintegration.Ontheonehand,theMemberStateswereaskedtoexaminetheirexistingpricingandreimbursementsystemstoensurethattheyoperatedfullyinaccordancewithDirective89/105/CEE(TransparencyDirective)(
2),tolookintothe
possibilityofreducingthetimelagbetweentheauthorisationofmedicinesandtheiractualavailabilityon
themarketandtoseewhethertheycoulddevelopclosercoordinationofstudiescarriedoutinconnection
withproceduresforregulatingpricingandreimbursement.Ontheotherhand,theCommissiongaveanundertakinginitscommunicationthatitwouldlaunchareflectiononfindingalternativewaystocontrolnationalexpenditureonhealthcare,primarilybyallowingmanufacturerstosetthepricesofnewproducts,whileatthesametimenegotiatingwiththeMemberStatessuitablesafeguardmechanismsinlinewithCommunityrulesoncompetitionandwiththeprincipleofthefreemovementofgoods.
Withregardtothefirstpoint,aninitiativehasbeenlaunchedbytheTransparencyCommittee(committee
onthetransparencyofmeasuresregulatingthepricingofmedicinalproducts,setupbyDirective89/105/EEC).
Asforthesecondpoint,theCommissioniscurrentlyworkingonatimetableandanactionplanto
concludethereflectiononcontrollingnationalexpenditureonhealthcareandonapossibleEuropeanpriceforcertainmedicines.
(1) COM(2003)383final.
(2) CouncilDirective89/105/EECof21December1988relatingtothetransparencyofmeasuresregulatingtheprices
ofmedicinalproductsforhumanuseandtheirinclusioninthescopeofnationalhealthinsurancesystems,OJL40,
11.2.1989.
(2004/C58E/207) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2671/03
byToineManders(ELDR)totheCommission
(10September2003)
Subject:ActionPlanforEuropeanProfessionalFootball
TheEuropeanCommissionrecentlyapprovedtheUEFA’srevisedmediapolicy.Accordingtotherules,
mediarightsmaynolongerbesoldcollectivelyandinpackages,aswasthecasethroughoutEuropeuntillastyear.Theaimoftherevisedpolicyistopreventthedevelopmentofmonopoliesandtocreatemarket
forces.However,thatdoesnotseemtohavehappenedinmostcountries.AsaresultofthesaleofTV
rightsinEngland,forexample,BSkyBhasacquiredalltheavailablebroadcastingrights.IntheNetherlands,ithasnowbecomeclearthattheaverageincomeforfootballclubswillbeconsiderablylowerthanitwas.Theupshotofthisisthat,thisseason,evenmoreprofessionalfootballclubsinEuropewillbestrugglingtocopewithdeficitsandwillbeabletosurviveonlywithaidfromlocalauthorities.AndthatencroachesonanotherEuropeanpolicyarea:competition.ThisisjustoneexampleofconflictingCommunitypolicyareasadverselyaffectingprofessionalfootball.
Pursuant tothe case-law ofthe European CourtofJustice, professionalfootballclubsare held to be
commercialundertakingstowhich /dashlikeundertakingsinevery otherindustry/dashEuropean rulesareapplicable.Inpractice,theapplicationofthoserulesseemstobehavinganadverseeffectonthefootballsectorasaresultofthemanyuncertaintiesandgreyareasinvolved.Theresultisthatthepeoplerunningprofessionalfootballdonotknowwhethertheyarecomingorgoing,andthat,too,contributestothe
furtherdeclineofEuropeanfootball,withallitsnegativesocialandeconomicconsequences.
It is time for the Commission to stop shilly-shallying and abandon its hand-to-mouth policy on
professionalfootball.Itmustactdecisivelysoastoclearupthemanyuncertaintieswithwhichthesectoriscurrentlyhavingtocopesothattheclubs,players,spectators,nationalassociationsandlocalauthoritiesmayhavesomeideaofwhatisgoingonandnot,asiscurrentlythecase,becauseofthelackofclarityintherules,beconstantlyworryingaboutwhetherornottheyarecomplyingwiththoserules.C58E/192 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion