WRITTEN QUESTION E-0470/00 by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission. Programmes, Community projects and European initiatives in the Île-de-France region.
Date: 2000-02-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financial instrument, EU programme, EU regional policy, Ile-de-France, economic analysis, labour market, management accounting, regional development

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/169

(2000/C 330 E/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0470/00

by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission

(24 February 2000)

Subject: Programmes, Community projects and European initiatives in the ˛le-de-France region

Can the Commission draw up an exhaustive list of the various European programmes and projects or
Community initiatives of which the ˛le-de-France region is a beneficiary (cid:129) indicating to what extent (cid:129) by
virtue of its associate status?

Can it also give a full list of European programmes and initiatives organised for the various bodies situated
in the ˛le-de-France region, that is to say research centres, associations, universities, municipalities and
other bodies organisations, indicating to what extent each of them benefit?

Supplementary joint answer
to Written Questions E-0469/00 and E-0470/00
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 2000)

Because of the length of the answer, which includes a number of tables, the Commission is sending it
direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(2000/C 330 E/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0472/00

by BØatrice Patrie (PSE) to the Commission

(24 February 2000)

Subject: Access to (cid:145)generic(cid:146) pharmaceuticals

The procedures for authorising the marketing of pharmaceuticals in certain Member States effectively
prevent the registration of cheap (cid:145)generic(cid:146) products if the pharmaceutical company manufacturing the
original product has withdrawn its licence for the product for commercial reasons and replace it with a
substitute. This places the consumer in a particularly unfavourable position and is based on a questionable
interpretation of Council Directive 65/65/EEC (1) and, in particular, Article 4(8)(a)(iii).

This obstacle to the registration of (cid:145)generic(cid:146) pharmaceuticals is entirely contrary to the stated policy of the
Commission set out
sector
(COM(98) 588), Parliament(cid:146)s position as set out in the Read Report (A4-0205/1999) and that of the
Council as set out in its resolution of 18 May 1999, all of which call for better access for consumers to
(cid:145)generic(cid:146) pharmaceuticals.

in its communication on the internal market

in the pharmaceutical

What specific action will
pharmaceuticals?

the Commission take to end this obstacle to the availability of

(cid:145)generic(cid:146)

What measures will the Commission take to ensure that (cid:145)generic(cid:146) pharmaceuticals can be registered, even if
the pharmaceutical company which manufactured the original product has withdrawn its licence in favour
of a similar product for reasons which are not dictated by public health considerations?

(1) OJ 22, 9.2.1965, p. 369.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2000)

The availability of generic pharmaceuticals is one of the Commission(cid:146)s main priorities, as set out in various
documents. The Commission is keen to implement this policy and is drafting recommendations based on
various judgements of the Court of Justice which allow an interpretation more favourable to generic
pharmaceuticals.