WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2137/98 by Freddy BLAK to the Commission. Restructuring of the social dialogue
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: BLAK, European Parliament
Subjects: labour relations, postal and telecommunications services, social dialogue, social dialogue (EU), social partners, trade union

8.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 96/43

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(21 September 1998)

Council Directive 92/27/EEC on the labelling of medicinal products for human use and on package leaflets (1)
does not require the price to be indicated on the label. However, Article 5 of this Directive indicates that Member
States may require the price on the label. Spain has made use of that option in the medicine law 25/190. Unless
modified by the Spanish legislature, the obligation to include a price on the label of pharmaceutical products will
continue to apply and convert into an obligation to display the price in euros as of 1 January 2002.

As established in the Commission(cid:146)s recommendation on the dual display of prices and financial values, there will
be no legal obligation established at Community level for retailers to have dual displays during the transitional
period. However, the Commission is encouraging retailers, where possible, to dual display a significant number
of products with a view to facilitating the changeover for consumers and employees.

Pharmacies, like all enterprises and retailers, should be preparing for introduction of the euro, including the
pricing of goods in euros which must take place no later than 1 January 2002. Inevitably, some cost will arise
from technical modifications to equipment and software, and from having staff devoted to the implementation of
the changeover.

However, there is no reason to think that pharmacies will face relatively higher costs associated with the re-
labelling of products having shelf-lives going beyond January 2002. Such challenges will be faced by many retail
sectors and for many products, e.g. books. Moreover, re-labelling occurs frequently today to cope with price
changes. Finally, pharmacies should consider having dual displays of prices during the transitional period,
thereby overcoming the need for any relabelling at January 2002.

For these reasons, the Commission does not intend to take specific measures targeted at the pharmaceutical
industry associated with the introduction of the euro. Instead, the Commission will continue to provide assistance
to enterprises in all sectors with a view to achieving a smooth and cost effective changeover to the euro. This
explains why the Commission, in its recommendation, is promoting dialogue and co-operative solutions.

(1) OJ L 113, 13.4.1992.

(1999/C 96/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2137/98

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Restructuring of the social dialogue

The Commission wants to abolish the social dialogue joint committees in the post and telecommunications

1.
sector. In which areas does it think the joint committees did not function satisfactorily?

2. What reason is there to think that the new structures will function better than the joint committees?

How will the Commission ensure that the new structures will continue to benefit from the excellent

3.
cooperation that characterized the joint committees?

I have the impression that the organizations involved are broadly opposed to this decision. What is the

4.
Commission(cid:146)s attitude?