WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2855/97 by Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN , Raphaël CHANTERIE to the Commission. Homeopathic medicinal products
Date: 1997-09-11
Institutions: CHANTERIE, European Parliament, OOMEN-RUIJTEN
Subjects: EC Directive, alternative medicine, application of EU law, approximation of laws, medicinal product, report

C 102/138

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

The  budget  for  this  action  has  in  fact  increased  slightly  in  overall  terms  compared  with  the  previous  year.
However,  in  the  past  the  grants  were  disbursed  via  the  coordinating  university  of  each  cooperation  activity,
which then had the responsibility of distributing them to the various partners. Consequently, only 300 coordi-
nating establishments received Community aid which was destined for all the partner establishments. In 1997,
for the first time, each of the over 1,500 universities participating in Erasmus is receiving an overall grant to
contribute towards funding the whole range of its Erasmus activities. This has rendered the Community support
much more visible for each institution. The institutional approach highlights the responsibility of each partner
university  to  contribute  to  the  success  of  the  cooperation  activities,  using  the  grant  it  receives  from
Socrates-Erasmus to complement its own resources and other sources of funding.

Nevertheless, the average grant of ECU 17 000 is indeed modest, and the total budget available represents only
some 10% of the amount requested. The Commission is aware of the inadequacy of funding for the Socrates
programme as whole, for which it had proposed a budget in excess of the figure finally adopted. In accordance
with the procedures agreed upon at that time, the Commission has proposed an increase of MECU 50 to the
financial framework for the programme in 1998 and 1999. This sum is considered by the Commission to be the
minimum  necessary  to  restore  the  programme’s  capacity  to  meet  its  stated  objectives.  In  a  more  favourable
budgetary climate, the Commission would have had no hesitation in proposing a higher figure, in line with its
original  proposals.  The  Commission’s  proposal  to  increase  the  budget  is  currently  under  discussion  in  the
Parliament and Council. The Parliament has proposed at first reading an increase of MECU 100 over the two
years in question. The Council has reached political agreement on an increase of only MECU 25.

(98/C 102/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2855/97

by Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE) and Raphae¤l Chanterie (PPE) to the Commission

(11 September 1997)

Subject: Homeopathic medicinal products

1. What  is  the  position  regarding  evaluation  of  EC  directives  92/73 (1)  and  92/74 (2)  on  the  registering  of
homeopathic medicinal products?

2.
Is it true that the aim of these objectives › the harmonization of homeopathic medicinal products in the
EU › has not been achieved because of failure to implement them properly or consistently in the Member States?

3.

4.

Is an evaluation report available and, if so, will the Commission forward it to Parliament?

On the basis of the evaluation will the Commission propose a change in legislation and, if so, when?

5. What are the main points in respect of which legislation might need to be changed?

(1)  OJ L 297, 13.10.1992, p. 8.
(2)  OJ L 297, 13.10.1992, p. 12.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(29 September 1997)

On  14  July  1997  the  Commission  forwarded  to  the  Parliament  and  Council  its  report  on  the  application  of
Directives 92/73/EEC and 92/74/EEC on homeopathic medicinal products (1).

All questions raised by the Honourable Members are answered in this report which, in its conclusions, also asks
the  Parliament  and  Council  to  express  their  view  on  particular  problems  raised  in  the  report  and  to  consider
whether certain amendments to the directives on homeopathic medicinal products should be envisaged.

(1)  COM(97) 362 final.