WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3662/97 by Carlo RIPA DI MEANA to the Commission. Privatization of the Rome milk company
Date: 1997-11-19
Institutions: European Parliament, RIPA DI MEANA
Subjects: European Commission, Latium, State aid, application of EU law, complaint to the Commission, control of State aid, dairy industry, privatisation, public contract, representative of local or regional authority

C 158/172

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

3. Within the framework of the execution of the information actions in Italy, a project has been launched in
Italian  schools.  The  first  part  of  this  project  consists  of  a  research  activity  in  150  schools.  One  of  the  tools
provided  to  support  this  research  activity  is  a  (cid:145)didactic  kit(cid:146)  containing  various  information  material,  among
others  a  video  cassette  entitled  (cid:145)Un  Grillo  per  la  testa(cid:146),  produced  by  the  Swiss-Italian  television.  The  video
cassette contains statements of the comedian Beppe Grillo, interviews with scientists of the German Wuppertal
Institut and information on sustainable development and sustainable consumption.

4.
Swiss  television  has  authorised  the  use  of  the  video  and  received  a  total  of  SFR  500  (approximately
ECU 800) (covering production of three master copies, dispatching and other expenses). The cost for making
150  copies  was  met  by  the  contractor(cid:146)s  budget  for  operational  costs  earmarked  for  the  school  project.  The
comedian has given his agreement for using the video without asking for any financial compensation.

(1)  COM(95) 519.
(2)  OJ C 260, 7.9.1996.
(3)  OJ S 124, 1.7.1997.

(98/C 158/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3662/97

by Carlo Ripa di Meana (V) to the Commission

(19 November 1997)

Subject: Privatization of the Rome milk company

About a year ago Mrs Adriana Spera, Rome town councillor, sent the Commission a detailed complaint about the
privatization of the Rome milk company.

The complaint suggests violations of Articles 92 and 93 of the EEC Treaty, particularly the state aid used by
Rome town council to offset huge losses (about Lit 250 billion) carried forward from 1990 to the present by the
company. If such violations occurred, then, as confirmed by case law, the private sale procedure adopted by
Rome town council under which the company would be sold to the Cirio Group would be invalid.

Did the Commission examine the complaint and, if so, what was the outcome?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 1997)

At the end of 1996 the Commission received a complaint concerning the grant of public funds for the financial
restructuring of Centrale del latte di Roma and the conformity of the privatisation procedure envisaged by the
municipality of Rome with the Community rules on public contracts.

The Commission is currently studying this matter and has therefore not yet adopted a position on the complaint.

(98/C 158/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3664/97

by Hono·rio Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 November 1997)

Subject: Extending the fisheries exclusion zone in the Mediterranean

It has been publicly announced that the Spanish Government has recently decided to extend its Mediterranean
fisheries exclusion zone to 50 miles.

Can the Commission tell me what legal bases in both international and Community law the Spanish Government
has used for this decision?