WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3183/97 by Glyn FORD to the Commission. Differential pricing of newspapers
Date: 1997-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, FORD
Subjects: EU Member State, application of EU law, competition law, distributive trades, economic survey, newspaper, price disparity, selling price

C 134/108

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

30. 4. 98

Leaving aside the Commission(cid:146)s objections to the procedure for awarding the contract for the works, might it
also  review  the  problems  involved  in  creating  an  environment-friendly  and  viable  transport  system  in
Thessaloniki as the city adapts to new circumstances? Might the Commission also use its influence to have the
controversial  (cid:145)metro(cid:146)  project  replaced  by  a  tram  network  covering  the  whole  of  the  city,  particularly  as  it  is
estimated that the overall cost of a complete network would basically be the same as for the metro-line of only
10 kilometres?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf- Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 1997)

The 1994-99 Community support framework for Greece provides for the European Regional Development Fund
to part-finance the Thessaloniki metro project only provided it can attract private capital (and is economically
viable).

The  Commission  is  currently  examining  complaints  from  the  participants  in  the  international  competition
launched by the Greek authorities in 1993, on the basis of the Community legislation on the award of public
contracts. Only once this examination has been completed will the Greek authorities be able to submit to the
Commission a complete file for actual part-financing of the project.

The possibility of combining (or replacing) the metro line with a tram network and the general question of how
public transport is organised in Thessaloniki are matters for the authorities of the Member State to deal with. The
Commission(cid:146)s responsibility is to ensure that projects are carried out in compliance with Community policies.

(98/C 134/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3183/97

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(16 October 1997)

Subject: Differential pricing of newspapers

While one recognizes the need for a small additional charge for newspapers transported across Member State
boundaries, would the Commission care to comment about the fact that the (cid:145)Independent(cid:146) dated 16 September
1997 was priced at 20 pence in the United Kingdom, while in Strasbourg, the same newspaper was priced at
14 French Francs, the equivalent to £1.40 at that day(cid:146)s exchange rate. This represents a mark up of 750 per cent.

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 1997)

Unilateral  decisions  concerning  the  fixing  of  the  price  of  newspapers,  including  price  differences  between
Member States, are basically a matter for the free commercial choice of each publisher and are not, as a rule,
prohibited under Community law.

If the Commission were to establish the existence of restrictions or improper practices incompatible with the
rules on competition and the operation of the single market, it would take all appropriate steps under the Treaty
and would inform Parliament accordingly.

The Commission in fact recently launched a survey to look at press distribution systems in all the Member States,
how they interact across borders and how they affect price structures. It has now received the results of this
survey and is in the process of analysing them.