WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1648/97 by Leoluca ORLANDO to the Commission. Assumed conflict between Sicilian regional law 1/9/93 and Articles 92 and 93 of the Treaty of Rome
Date: 1997-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament, ORLANDO
Subjects: Sicily, carriage of passengers, financial aid, reduced price, regional government, restriction on competition, tourism, transport price, travel agency

22. 1. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 21/77

(98/C 21/170)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1646/97

by Ursula Stenzel (PPE) to the Commission

(14 May 1997)

Subject: Implementation of a Media III programme

The various Listeners and Viewers representatives of the ORF, ARD, ZDF and SRG are jointly calling for an EU
Media III programme aimed at encouraging production of their own children(cid:146)s programmes. That would make
high-quality products for children(cid:146)s programmes or children(cid:146)s channels available to television organizations.

Is there any possibility of achieving and promoting this aspiration?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 1997)

The priority aim of the Media II programme is to support independent audiovisual production. The Commission
has consequently endeavoured to put in place grant mechanisms upstream and downstream of production, in the
form of assistance for training, development and distribution.

In the case of assistance for television, special attention is paid to programmes for children and in particular
animated programmes.

Grants  are  thus  paid  for  dubbing  or  sub-titling  programmes  for  television  and  for  the  production  of  works
involving at least two broadcasters from more than one Member State. The stated aim of these measures (see
1.2.2 of the Annex to Decision 95/563/EC) (1) is to improve the circulation of quality works in Europe and to
offer  broadcasters  a  range  of  programmes  with  a  wide  broadcasting  potential.  Thus  broadcasters  indirectly
receive Community aid.

With regard to Media III, it is too soon to anticipate the half-term assessment of the Media II programme (planned
for mid-1998) or the recommendations which could result therefrom and lead to possible readjustments in the
future.

(1)  OJ L 321, 31. 12.1995.

(98/C 21/171)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1648/97

by Leoluca Orlando (V) to the Commission

(14 May 1997)

Subject: Assumed conflict between Sicilian regional law 1/9/93 and Articles 92 and 93 of the Treaty of Rome

Regional  law  1/9/93  of  the  Sicilian  Regional  Assembly  amended  the  rules  on  incentives  for  charter  and  IT
(inclusive tour) flights to Sicily already operating under regional law 12.4.1967, No 46. Those eligible for the
financial aid thus provided by the regional administration are indiscriminately tour operators and travel agencies
(Sicilian, Italian, European and non-European) that intend to arrange tourist travel to Sicily.

As the aid is granted not to the operators but to the consumers through the operators concerned and the rules
apply  absolutely  indiscriminately  between  Sicilian  and  non-Sicilian  tour  operators  and  travel  agencies  who
intend to make use of it, I do not consider there to be any distortion of competition within the meaning of Articles
92 and 93 of the Treaty of Rome. The aid in question does not constitute a reduction of costs for tour operators
and travel agents but takes the form of price reductions for tour packages to Sicily for the exclusive benefit of
tourists.