WRITTEN QUESTION E-2353/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission. State aid granted to RAI by Italy.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, broadcasting, control of State aid, infringement procedure (EU), public service, television

C 203 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2000

(2000/C 203 E/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2353/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: State aid granted to RAI by Italy

In its answer to Written Question E-1701/99 (1) given by Commissioner Monti, the Commission stated that
it had (cid:145)the duty to assess whether the funds granted by the state to RAI, both as licence fee and as other
support measures, are proportionate to the net costs incurred by the undertaking to fulfil the public service
obligations imposed by the state(cid:146).

What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the proportion between the net costs (which seem to be extremely high)
and the licence fee and the other specific measures the state has granted and continues to grant to RAI?

(1)

See page 28.

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 2000)

As already anticipated in its reply to Written Question E-1701/99 (1) of the Honourable Member, the
Commission has in place a formal investigation procedure regarding the licence fee and other additional
aid measures granted to Radio Televisione Italiana (RAI) by the state and Istituto per la Ricostruzione
Industriale (IRI).

At the present stage of the procedure, the Commission has not yet concluded its analysis on the nature of
existing aid of the licence fee. As far as the other measures granted by the state and IRI are concerned, the
Italian government has not yet submitted its observations.

An overall assessment of the proportionality of the aid granted to RAI with the costs incurred by the
undertaking to fulfil the public service obligations imposed by the state will be possible only at the
conclusion of the procedure currently in place.

(1)

See page 28.

(2000/C 203 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2354/99

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Killing of cattle in the name of the EU

On 7 October 1999, five cows and one bull were destroyed on a farm in Bohusl(cid:228)n, Sweden, at the behest
of the National Board of Agriculture. The farmer had flouted EU rules and not marked his animals. He
wanted full financial compensation for the loss of his animals but, on 9 November 1999, the district
administrative court ruled that the decision to shoot the animals was based on the rules that apply in
Sweden following its accession to the European Union, so that the farmer is not entitled to compensation.

Calls have been made in Sweden for (cid:145)more flexible(cid:146) Swedish national rules to be drawn up on how to
the European directive. The Agriculture Minister has said that she will check with her
implement
counterparts in other Member States to ascertain whether the rules can be modified.

What are the Commission(cid:146)s views on this? Is it correct practice to kill animals that are not marked in
accordance with European rules? Or has the National Board of Agriculture gone too far in its interpreta-
tion of the European directive?