WRITTEN QUESTION No. 430/98 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Anti-Semitic radio station in Poland
Date: 1998-02-25
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN BLADEL
Subjects: Community acquis, Poland, accession to the European Union, antisemitism, broadcasting, racism, xenophobia













EUR-Lex - 91998E0430 - EN






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91998E0430

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 430/98 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Anti-Semitic radio station in Poland  


Official Journal C 304 , 02/10/1998 P. 0102 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0430/98 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (25 February 1998)Subject: Anti-Semitic radio station in Poland1. Has the Council heard of the Polish radio station known as 'Maria', which is very popular with Poles?2. Is the Council aware that that radio station is making fierce anti-Semitic statements while it is on air?3. Does the Council feel that radio broadcasts of this type incite people to xenophobia?4. Is the Council prepared, during the forthcoming accession negotiations with Poland, to investigate whether there is any provision in Polish law making xenophobia a criminal offence?5. If not, is the Council prepared to enter into consultations with the Polish Government to discuss the introduction of such a provision?Answer (28 May 1998)Accession negotiations with Poland began on 31 March 1998. The Union's position is that accession entails full acceptance and implementation of the 'acquis'. This applies in particular to the provisions concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia and other related measures. The most important of these provisions are listed below.i) Joint Action of 15 July 1996 adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia (OJ No L 185, 24.7.1996, p. 5).Title I A (a): In the interests of combating racism and xenophobia, each Member State shall undertake, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Title II, to ensure effective judicial cooperation in respect of offences based on the following types of behaviour, and, if necessary for the purpose of that cooperation, either to take steps to see that such behaviour is punishable as a criminal offence or, failing that, and pending the adoption of any necessary provisions, to derogate from the principle of double criminality for such behaviour:a) public incitement to discrimination, violence or racial hatred in respect of a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to colour, race, religion or national or ethnic origin.ii) Council Directive of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (OJ No L 298, 17.10.1989, p. 23)Article 12: Television advertising shall not include any discrimination on grounds of race, sex or nationality.Article 22: Member States shall ensure that broadcasts do not contain any incitement to hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion or nationality.iii) Council Regulation of 2 June 1997 establishing a European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (OJ No L 151, 10.6.1997, p. 1).