WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1096/98 by John CUSHNAHAN to the Commission. Consumer protection in Ireland
Date: 1998-03-30
Institutions: CUSHNAHAN, European Parliament
Subjects: Ireland, aid system, consumer information, consumer movement, consumer protection, financial aid, invitation to tender, non-governmental organisation, non-profit organisation, serial publication

21. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 323/113

Answer given by the Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 1998)

No economic impact study was made by the Commission in relation to this proposal for a directive. It is aimed at
approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States on the advertising and
sponsorship  of  tobacco  products  with  a  view  to  eliminating  barriers  within  the  internal  market.  As  such,  an
estimate of its impact would be difficult to establish given the existing restrictions at Member State level, and the
effect which transitional periods provided in the common position adopted by the Council on 12 February 1998
will have on all the sectors concerned. A further element to be considered is the expected reduction in tobacco
consumption, estimated by the World health organisation to be responsible for over 500 000 deaths per year in
the Community.

(98/C 323/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1096/98

by John Cushnahan (PPE) to the Commission

(30 March 1998)

Subject: Consumer protection in Ireland

The Consumers(cid:146) Association of Ireland is a non-profit and non-government organization working since 1996 in
the interests of Irish consumers. Is the Commission aware that this Association has been informed by DG XXIV
that its application for funding is not being granted for 1998?

In the context of the Amsterdam Treaty, with its emphasis on strengthening consumer protection, what action
does the Commission propose to take to ensure the promotion and representation of the rights of consumers in
Ireland by an independent consumer organization as exists in all other EU Member States?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 1998)

The Commission can confirm that an application for funding for three linked projects was received from the
Consumers(cid:146)  Association  of  Ireland  (CAI)  in  the  context  of  a  general  call  for  applications  organised  by  the
Commission.

The Commission received around 380 applications. Some 60 have been selected for financial support. It has not
been possible to fund more projects given budgetary constraints.

The CAI application involved the funding of a magazine, (cid:145)Consumers Choice(cid:146). The Commission has supported
this financially for a number of years but it was decided that it could not be an objective of Community consumer
policy to financially support the same action on a continuing basis. To do so would risk developing a dependency
on Community funding, which neither the Commission nor the budget authority wishes. The decision not to fund
the CAI project has to be seen in this context. This reasoning for the Commission(cid:146)s decision was explained to the
chief executive of the CAI at a recent meeting.

The  Commission  would  point  out,  however,  that  two  projects  from  consumer  bodies  in  Ireland  have  been
accepted. These corresponded more closely to the priorities identified for support in 1998.

Finally,  the  Commission  plans  to  co-finance  a  major  conference  in  Ireland  this  year  concerning  the  new
provisions in the Amsterdam Treaty on consumer policy.