WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2277/97 by Sebastiano MUSUMECI to the Commission. Shameful attack on the reputation of Sicily by the German press
Date: 1997-07-02
Institutions: European Parliament, MUSUMECI
Subjects: Germany, Italy, Sicily, competence of the Member States, control of communications, freedom of the press, press, principle of subsidiarity, professional ethics

C 117/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 4. 98

(98/C 117/10)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2277/97

by Sebastiano Musumeci (NI) to the Commission

(2 July 1997)

Subject: Shameful attack on the reputation of Sicily by the German press

In May 1997 the German daily newspaper (cid:145)Das Bild(cid:146) published an article entitled (cid:145)Unfaithful lover torn to pieces
by  dogs(cid:146),  written  by  journalist  Andreas  Englisch,  which,  instead  of  providing  a  factual  account  of  a  recent
tragedy in Catania, includes unverified details of the event so outrageous as to be laughable.

This is the latest in a long series of efforts by the German media to sully the reputation of Italy and its people and
in particular Sicily.

1.  Does the Commission believe that stricter controls should be imposed on the press, which is clearly in the
hands  of  unscrupulous  and  unethical  journalists  who  may  be  acting  at  the  behest  of  organized  interests
wishing to undermine the image of itself as a tourist destination which Sicily promotes overseas?

2.  Does it not consider that representation should be made to the German Government in order to end squalid
behaviour  of  this  kind,  which  runs  counter  to  the  principles  of  solidarity  and  respect  among  peoples
enshrined in the Maastricht Treaty?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(20 October 1997)

The Commission appreciates that the Honourable Member is concerned by the issue raised in this question.

In response to the specific points, however, it should be noted that, in general, the supervision of the press falls
within the competence of each Member State, according to the rule of subsidiarity. The rules of the EC Treaty
empower  the  Commission  to  act  in  this  area,  only  when  the  regulatory  framework  or  the  behaviour  of  the
publication in question would be incompatible with Community law, in particular as regards the internal market.

(98/C 117/11)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2289/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(2 July 1997)

Subject: EU contributions to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO)

The European Union has agreed to pay 15 million ecus per annum for five years to the Korean Peninsula Energy
Development Organization (KEDO). Along with US and Japanese contributions, the money will be used to help
the  construction  of  two  Western-designed  light  water  reactors  (LWRs)  in  North  Korea,  which  is  currently
experiencing a famine.

A Commission report from May 1997 › (cid:145)Activities report related to the use of the intended Community financial
contribution to KEDO(cid:146) › states that (cid:145)through KEDO, the EU can support peace and stability in the region(cid:146) and
(cid:145)would  make  a  significant  contribution  towards  upholding  international  non-proliferation  objectives  and
improving nuclear safety on the Korean peninsula(cid:146).

On  what  basis  did  the  Commission  reach  the  conclusion  that  building  nuclear  reactors  in  a  famine-stricken
country  would  contribute  to  regional  peace  and  stability?  The  reactors  financed  by  the  EU  will  produce
plutonium.  How  will  the  EU  ensure  that  the  resulting  plutonium  will  not  be  diverted  to  the  manufacture  of
nuclear weapons?

Have sites for the reactors been identified? If so, can the Commission give details of the site selection process
undertaken?