WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3300/97 by Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ to the Commission. UK import limits on products originating in the Canaries
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, SIERRA GONZALEZ
Subjects: Canary Islands, United Kingdom, VAT, customs territory (EU), fiscal policy, free movement of goods, import, import restriction, originating product, pharmaceutical product

C 187/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

(98/C 187/07)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3300/97

by Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: UK import limits on products originating in the Canaries

The  British  Government(cid:146)s  Medicines  Control  Agency  has  informed  that  country(cid:146)s  importers  that  the  Canary
Islands do not belong to the European Union. For that reason, a series of measures have been established in the
UK limiting parallel imports of pharmaceutical products from the Islands.

This outrageous state of affairs constitutes an assault on the Canary Islands community(cid:146)s exercise of Community
freedoms within the European Union, and any other EU territories.

Is the Commission aware of the facts in question?

What measures does the Commission intend to take with regard to this infringement of the principle of freedom
of movement of goods between territories which belong to the EU on an equal footing?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(15 January 1998)

Before the facts referred to by the Honourable Member can be assessed, it is necessary to know the reasons why
the  Medicines  Control  Agency  refused  to  allow  parallel  imports  of  pharmaceutical  specialities  from  another
Member State to be marketed in the United Kingdom.

If the Agency(cid:146)s refusal is based on tax considerations, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to
the answer given to Written Question E-1956/93 by Mr Sanchez Garcia (1).

If the reasons given do not relate to tax and given that the Canary Islands form part of the customs territory of the
Community, a refusal by the United Kingdom authorities to allow imports of pharmaceutical products might be
regarded as an obstacle to intra-Community trade that is in breach of Article 30 of the EC Treaty.

Before  looking  into  the  matter  more  closely,  the  Commission  would  like  to  have  more  detailed  information
regarding the reasons for the refusal. It would therefore ask the Honourable Member to contact it in order to
clarify the situation.

(1)  OJ C 219, 8.8.1994.

(98/C 187/08)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3353/97

by Caroline Jackson (PPE) to the Commission

(15 October 1997)

Subject: Amsterdam Treaty: Declaration on the quality of the drafting of EU legislation

1. What  action  does  the  Commission  propose  to  take  to  lay  down  guidelines  on  the  quality  of  drafting  of
Community legislation, as it was invited to do by the European Council meeting in Amsterdam?

2. What appropriate organizational measures does the Commission plan to take to ensure that the guidelines
are applied?

3. Will its priorities include a review of staff training, the allocation of specific responsibilities to staff in each
section to monitor output for plain language, and an examination of the work of the Commission(cid:146)s legal service?

4. When  does  the  Commission  expect  to  complete  its  initiatives  on  the  quality  of  drafting  of  Community
legislation, and will it produce a report for the Council and European Parliament on the outcome?