WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2216/97 by Robin TEVERSON to the Commission. Satellite technology
Date: 1997-06-30
Institutions: European Parliament, TEVERSON
Subjects: EU law, EU policy, action programme, competition, information technology, price agreement, research and development, rural region, satellite communications, single market

22. 1. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 21/143

Another point worth mentioning, due to its significance to society, is that women entrepreneurs tend to exhibit
more  socially  oriented  goals.  As  for  the  available  statistics  on  women  entrepreneurs  in  each  Member  State,
statistics gathered reflect the available statistics on national level.

Due to the fact that more quantitative and up to date statistics are required (the available statistics date back to
1994-1995)  in  order  better  to  identify  the  sector,  the  third  multiannual  programme  for  SMEs  (1997-2000)
(Council  Decision  97/15/EC (1))  stresses  the  importance  of  statistical  data  so  as  to  identify  the  number  of
enterprises, their size, structure and demography. Specific credits are intended to be foreseen for the elaboration
of statistics in the proposed budget of 1998 on budget line B5-3201.

(1)  OJ L 6, 10.1.1997.

(98/C 21/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2216/97

by Robin Teverson (ELDR)

to the Commission (30 June 1997)

Subject: Satellite technology

The use of satellite technology is of great assistance to those remote rural regions whose economies are often
dependent  on  SME(cid:146)s.  It  is  therefore  important  for  them  to  follow  this  technology(cid:146)s  development  in  order  to
benefit from it.

However,  there  have  been  claims  that  price  agreements  are  common  practice  among  satellite  space  segment
sellers which have kept prices high and uniform.

Is the Commission aware of such a practice and if so, has this been taken into account in the preparation of the
new action plan for satellite technology?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 1997)

The  Commission  Communication  entitled  (cid:145)European  Union  Action  Plan:  Satellite  Communications  in  the
Information Society(cid:146) (1) is a response to the urgent need for political action to create the conditions necessary for
the rapid development of a competitive market in European satellite communications.

The  Action  Plan,  in  keeping  with  the  principle  of  subsidiarity,  concentrates  on  completing  the  Community’s
internal  market,  strengthening  the  European  position  at  an  international  level  and  increasing  support  for  the
European research and development sector.

Actions A1 and A6 refer, among other things, to provisions on competition law, in particular to provisions on
pricing agreements (Article 85 of the EC Treaty):

›  A1 (cid:145)The Commission will step up efforts to achieve full implementation of all EU legislation relevant for

satellite communications [...](cid:146),

›  A6  (cid:145)[...]  The  Commission  will  continue  to  review  developments  concerning  the  International  Satellite
Organisations and [to] take the appropriate steps with a view to ensuring that these developments contribute
to the achievement of a fully competitive satellite communications marketplace(cid:146).

The  Commission  is  indeed  seeking  to  increase  the  level  of  competition  amongst  satellite  operators  and  the
satellite  service  providers.  One  way  in  which  it  is  doing  this  is  to  support  the  restructuring  of  the
intergovernmental satellite organisations (Intelsat, Eutelsat and Inmarsat) on a more commercial basis in the light
of the entry of new satellite operators into their markets. In addition, the Commission will investigate fully any
complaint about practices which appear to infringe the Community’s competition rules.

(1)  Doc. COM(97) 91.