WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1177/98 by Ulf HOLM to the Commission. Swedish language under threat
Date: 1998-04-29
Institutions: European Parliament, HOLM
Subjects: European patent, Sweden, linguistic discrimination, minority language, official document, official language, translation

22.12.98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 402/87

(98/C 402/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1171/98

by Antonio Tajani (PPE) to the Commission

(2 April 1998)

Subject: Sale of the Rome milk marketing board

Is it true that notice of infringement proceedings has been served against Italy and Rome city council over the
privatization of the milk marketing board?

Were all procedures followed in connection with the sale of the milk marketing board in order to publicize the
sale and guarantee observance of European regulations and compliance with the principle of free competition?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1998)

The Commission can confirm that it decided on 30 March 1998 to initiate the infringement procedure provided
for in Article 93(2) of the EC Treaty with regard to the aid granted by Italy to clear the annual operating debts of
the (cid:145)Centrale de Latte(cid:146) (milk marketing board). Furthermore, while the Commission is not opposed to the
privatisation of this company it does have doubts concerning the conformity with competition rules of certain aid
payments which were apparently granted as part of the privatisation procedure.

Under this procedure, the Commission will be inviting the Italian Government to submit comments within a
month from the date of notification of its decision. The other Member States and interested third parties will also
be invited to submit their observations by notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

(98/C 402/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1177/98

by Ulf Holm (V) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Swedish language under threat

For a number of years, the European Patent Organization, EPO, has persistently raised the question of changing
the rules governing patent applications in Europe. The EPO is now proposing that only a small part of a patent
should need to be translated into the language of the country in which the application for a patent is made. Under
the proposal, it should in the main be sufficient to translate the whole of the patent into English, German and
French.

The implications of the proposal are that the position in the EU of languages such as Swedish would be severely
restricted. It is also an attack on our democratic principles. Swedish citizens would lose their right to read
documents nationally applicable in Sweden in their own language.

Does the Commission consider that this proposal is in keeping with the democratic principles whereby every EU
citizen should have the right of access to applicable documents in their own language? What does the
Commission intend to do to prevent the marginalization of certain languages in the EU? Does the Commission
consider that the number of official languages in the EU should be limited with the forthcoming enlargement in
view?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 1998)

The cost of obtaining a patent in Europe is at present extremely high, and this seriously damages the
competitiveness of innovatory firms, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, which are unable to
obtain effective protection for their inventions. This has a harmful effect on firms, but also on the European
economy in general and on employment. One of the factors which contribute most to the cost of a European
patent is the requirement that the patent holder translate the whole of the patent into all the languages of the
relevant countries (some DEM 22 500 or ECU 11 000 on average per patent).