WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1871/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in Europe
Date: 1998-06-08
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, action programme, audiovisual programme, project evaluation, services contract, television, transmission network

5.2.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 31/93

Further information on this project, including progress and the timetable for planned implementation, can be
found in the document (cid:145)Trans-European Transport Network: report on progress and implementation of the 14
Essen projects, 1998(cid:146) (2) and its accompanying fact sheets which are being sent direct to the Honourable Members
and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(1) OJ C 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) COM(98) 356 final.

(1999/C 31/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1871/98

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 June 1998)

Subject: Action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in Europe

The Council Decision of 22 July 1993 on an action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in
Europe (93/424/EEC) (1) established an action plan to ensure the accelerated development of the market for
advanced television services in 16:9 format for a period of four years which expired at the end of June 1997.
The total sum necessary to achieve the objectives of the action plan was ECU 405 million; the Community
contribution amounted to ECU 228 million.

Will the Commission say which Greek television channels benefited from the Community funding referred to
above, exactly how much funding they received, to what extent funding in Greece produced the desired results
and whether any irregularities were noted?

(1) OJ L 196, 5.8.1993, p. 48.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 1998)

Tables sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament show which Greek
broadcasters received funding under the action plan for the introduction of advanced television services.
The tables also indicate how much funding Greek broadcasters were allocated from both the action plan budget
lines › broadcasting (B3-2014) and programme production (B3-2013) › over their four year life. These
allocations are shown in terms of amount of funding and of hours of transmission and programming.

The Commission will launch an evaluation study on this action plan next year, at the end of its implementation,
once all the transmission and broadcasting contracts have come to an end. This will provide detailed information
and analysis regarding the action plan(cid:146)s impact on all Member States, including Greece.

The Commission is not aware of any irregularities in connection with Greek broadcasters(cid:146) contracts relating to
transmission or programme production. The Honourable Member should note that the Court of auditors
investigated the action plan in 1996. The resultant report (1) did not mention any irregularity in Greece.

(1) OJ C 340, 12.11.1996.

(1999/C 31/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1877/98

by John McCartin (PPE) to the Commission

(16 June 1998)

Subject: Agri-environmental measures in Ireland

In view of the failure of the Irish Government to utilize all the payment appropriations allocated to it from the
Regional Funds for transport projects, has the Commission considered the possibility of redistributing these