WRITTEN QUESTION No. 199/98 by Hilde HAWLICEK to the Commission. Books and the cultural heritage
Date: 1998-02-11
Institutions: European Parliament, HAWLICEK
Subjects: Austria, Germany, book trade, competition, cultural object, economic conditions, imposed price

C 304/50

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

In particular, it will be forced to withdraw its part-financing owing to the failure of the project to materialise and,
at the next monitoring committee meeting, propose a reallocation of the funds originally committed.

(98/C 304/69)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0196/98

by Karin Riis-Jłrgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(30 January 1998)

Subject: EU export of steel wire ropes to Poland

Since  November  1996,  the  EC  steel  wire  ropes  industry  has  not  been  able  to  export  to  Poland  because  of
non-tariff barriers. I am also aware that Poland has recently refused to lower import duties, as required by the
European Union.

Tenders to supply the mining industry give preference to Polish firms. The administrative and financial burdens
currently  make  all  exports  from  the  European  Community  impossible.  What  is  more,  the  Polish  certification
system, which is applicable to EU imported wire ropes, impedes deliveries.

As the tariff barriers violate the undertakings given by Poland as part of the European Agreement, I would like to
know what steps the Commission will undertake to ensure that these barriers are abolished in the near future.

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 1998)

The problems concerning the access to the Polish market of Community exporters of steel wire ropes have been
discussed with the Polish authorities on a number of occasions 1997, including at the highest levels. In particular,
the responsible Vice-President of the Commission raised this issue during his visit to Poland in February 1997.
However, given that no concrete reply was received from the Polish authorities and that according to Community
industry discriminatory practices were still being noted at the expense of Community exporters, this matter was
discussed again during the meeting of the Community Poland trade and industry subcommittee in December
1997.

In this meeting, the Polish authorities indicated that they would be prepared to look further into the matter if the
Community  provided  examples  of  discrimination.  The  Commission  has  therefore  invited  the  Community
industry to provide it with such information with a view to seeking an early solution to the problem.

(98/C 304/70)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0199/98

by Hilde Hawlicek (PSE) to the Commission

(11 February 1998)

Subject: Books and the cultural heritage

In his speech to the Frankfurt book fair in October 1997, Commissioin President Jacques Santer said that he
regarded  books  as  (cid:145)part  of  our  cultural  heritage  and  as  economic  factors(cid:146).  However,  on  14  January  1998
Commissioner Karel van Miert instituted proceedings against book price agreements even before the Council of
Ministers of Cultural Affairs had received the expert opinion it had requested on whether such agreements can be
justified by Article 128 EC.

What protection does the Commission President believe the Commission is providing for (cid:145)books as part of the
cultural heritage(cid:146)?

Is the Commissioner also aware of the study carried out by Ulrich Everling, a former judge at the European Court
of  Justice,  who  concludes  that  book  price  agreements  as  practised  in  Germany  and  Austria  should  not  be
regarded  as  incompatible  with  the  Common  market  pursuant  to  Article  85(1)  EC  Treaty,  provided  books