WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1606/99 by Antonio TAJANI Internet and the Italian Government's draft law on equal access to the media in election campaigns (*par condicio')
Date: 1999-09-13
Institutions: European Parliament, TAJANI
Subjects: Council of the European Union, EU policy, Internet, Italy, censorship, election campaign, powers of the institutions (EU), television

C 27 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.1.2000

(mSv), which is small in comparison to natural background radiation (approximately 3 % of average annual
exposure). These low doses are due to the choice of the plutonium isotopes 237Pu and 244Pu, which have
a low radiation toxicity but which behave chemically and have the same biokinetics as other more toxic
plutonium isotopes. At these dose levels, no radiation induced effects are expected and none have been
observed in the people concerned.

Some results of the studies have been published in open literature and further publications are in
preparation. The preliminary conclusion of the studies is that the current understanding of the risks from
intake of plutonium remains valid.

(2000/C 27 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1606/99

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Council

(13 September 1999)

Subject: Internet and the Italian Government(cid:146)s draft law on equal access to the media in election campaigns

((cid:145)par condicio(cid:146))

The Italian Government has recently brought forward a draft law prohibiting advertising spots on national
and local public and independent television channels during election campaigns; the bill also seeks to
prohibit election advertising on the Internet. This is clearly a violation of citizens(cid:146) rights to freedom of
information in that it will ban any kind of election publicity on the Internet just when its use is becoming
increasingly widespread among the general public.

Does the Council not agree that this is a flagrant violation of the citizen(cid:146)s right to freedom of information?

How does the Council intend to safeguard the public(cid:146)s right to freedom of information and what measures
will it take to protect European citizens against prohibition of this kind?

Reply

(22 October 1999)

The Council would inform the Honourable Member that the question which he has put is not within its
sphere of competence.

(2000/C 27 E/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1608/99

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 September 1999)

Subject: Internet and the Italian Government(cid:146)s draft law on equal access to the media in election campaigns

((cid:145)par condicio(cid:146))

The Italian Government has recently brought forward a draft law prohibiting advertising spots on national
and local public and independent television channels during election campaigns; the bill also seeks to
prohibit election advertising on the Internet. This is clearly a violation of citizens(cid:146) rights to freedom of
information in that it will ban any kind of election publicity on the Internet just when its use is becoming
increasingly widespread among the general public.

Does the Commission not agree that this is a flagrant violation of the citizen(cid:146)s right to freedom of
information?