WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1307/98 by Amedeo AMADEO , Salvatore TATARELLA to the Commission. Anti-prohibitionist demonstrations
Date: 1998-04-29
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament, TATARELLA
Subjects: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Europol, United Kingdom, cultural event, drug addiction, drug traffic, narcotic, public awareness campaign

C 354/90

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19. 11. 98

A further concrete measure taken under the Erasmus Programme to promote a better understanding of matters
relating to recognition of academic qualifications has been to create a network of national academic recognition
information centres (NARIC).

Finally, a third initiative aiming at promoting transparency of diplomas, thus facilitating their recognition, was
launched in September 1997. It involves a pilot project implemented jointly with the Council of Europe and
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). The idea is to study the feasibility of
introducing a European administrative annex to diplomas. The results will be available in a few months(cid:146) time.

As  regards  recognition  of  professional  diplomas,  several  Community  directives  have  been  adopted  on  the
recognition by Member States, for the purpose of allowing access to a regulated profession, of qualifications
obtained in another Member State. It should be noted that these directives apply to professional people (and not
students), i.e. people who possess all the qualifications required for practising a given profession in a Member
State.

Directive  89/48/CEE  on  a  general  system  for  the  recognition  of  higher-education  diplomas  awarded  on
completion of professional education and training of at least three years(cid:146) duration has been transposed into Italian
law by (cid:145)decreto legislative(cid:146), No 115 of 27 January 1992 (1), which lays down the conditions that the holder of the
diploma must fulfil in order to obtain recognition.

(1)  GU 40, 18.2.1992.

(98/C 354/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1307/98

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) and Salvatore Tatarella (NI) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Anti-prohibitionist demonstrations

In view of the European Parliament(cid:146)s final report by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark on combating drugs, the setting up of
the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU) in The Hague and the creation of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and
Drug Addiction, which are unequivocal evidence of the Union(cid:146)s commitment to combating drugs, and in the light
of what happened in London during a demonstration held by anti-prohibitionists, can the Commission prevail
upon  the  Member  States  to  provide  the  general  public  with  accurate  information?  Among  other  things  they
should be told that colourful and apparently harmless demonstrations by anti-prohibitionist organisations, for
example,  which  under  a  playful  exterior  conceal  the  threat  of  propaganda  promoting  consumption,  may  be
authorised only if they comply with the principles promoted by the Union.

Can  the  Commission  also  prevail  upon  the  British  authorities  to  ensure  implementation  of  the  existing  rules
banning the sale and consumption of drugs and the introduction of measures aimed at reducing the demand for
drugs in the interests of young people(cid:146)s health, education and rehabilitation?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 1998)

The need to provide to the citizen reliable and comparable information on the drugs situation in Europe has been
recognized by the creation, in Lisbon, of the European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction.

The Commission(cid:146)s role is to take any useful initiative to encourage co-operation between the Member States, to
support  their  action  and  to  promote  the  co-ordination  of  Member  States(cid:146)  policies  and  programmes  in  the
prevention field. In this context, a Community action programme on the prevention of drug dependence, for the
years 1996-2000, is being implemented by the Commission, in close co-operation with the Member States.

The Commission would point out that any permission to demonstrate is the responsibility of the Member States.