WRITTEN QUESTION E-0866/00 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Protection of consumers against the deficiencies of audio equipment incorporating the new DAB technology.
Date: 2000-03-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, audiovisual equipment, consumer protection, indemnification, product quality

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/67

(2001/C 46 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0866/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 March 2000)

Subject: Protection of consumers against the deficiencies of audio equipment incorporating the new DAB

technology

1.
Is the Commission familiar with recent articles in the New Scientist of 12 February 2000 and Hi-Fi
Choice of February 2000 concerning the new Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) technology, which report
that:

(a) buyers of DAB radios are promised (cid:145)near CD-quality(cid:146) sound, whereas the quality of some types of

music is worse than on FM radio;

(b) DAB technology removes some of the sound and sometimes adds noise, as a result of which sound
which has not been directly captured in the original recording on a CD or DAB tape may be seriously
distorted;

(c) DAB radios currently cost at least € 800, rising to over € 1 600;

(d)

the problem is largely due to dependence on the international standard of 48 kilohertz and the chips
complying with this standard which are used in the radios, whereas, contrary to original expectations,
32 kilohertz produces better results?

2.
Does the Commission agree that in the foreseeable future a steadily growing number of consumers
are likely to be able to afford the now still expensive DAB technology and that, as this increase in sales
may result in more and more buyers being confronted with the disadvantages of this technology, there is
no good reason for delaying measures to protect the consumer against the further spread of an inadequate
product?

3.

Is the Commission prepared to take steps which ensure that:

(a)

consumers who have already invested in the new DAB technology (cid:129) on the assumption that they
have thus acquired a better-quality product (cid:129) are compensated by the producer for their purchase;

(b) measures are taken to adapt or improve this technology;

(c)

radio transmitters adjust their signals in order to improve the quality of reception?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 2000)

1.

The Commission is aware of the issues raised by the Honourable Member.

The articles focus on the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) system developed by the Eureka 147 research
partners and standardised by the European telecommunications standards institute (ETSI) (1). However, the
problem they raise is one of a more general nature. Any transmission system using digital compression
will experience these difficulties if the programme source material has already been compressed during the
programme production phase.

This so called concatenation of digital compression systems reduces the programme quality delivered to
the end user. Imperfections are picked up each time and transmitted further down the chain. As a result,
the final quality broadcast to the user may be worse than the original input.

C 46 E/68

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

The problem has already been identified and addressed in the digital television area. It is now possible to
use compression for production and post-production and to recompress for digital transmission without
significant loss of quality. It is possible that similar techniques could be applied in the case of digital radio,
but no (cid:145)off the shelf(cid:146) technical solution exists for radio, as far as the Commission is aware.

2.
Regarding the consumer protection aspects, the Commission feels there is no need to compensate
consumers. DAB is still the standard which radio broadcasters want to use. In dynamic and converging
communications markets, the Commission approach to technology and standards is to limit its interven-
tions in the market to the strict minimum. Markets and consumers should make the appropriate choices.
Although DAB is a European standard, its use is anyway not mandated by regulation at Community level.

3.
The Commission believes that radio broadcasters should identify technical solutions for the problem
of concatenated compression as quickly as possible. The problem could for instance be addressed by
submitting a suitable project within the fifth framework programme. However, there are no doubt other
measures that the industry could take in order to raise awareness and develop good practice.

(1) ETS 300 401 etc.: DAB specifications.

(2001/C 46 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0874/00

by Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(23 March 2000)

Subject: Embargo against Iraq and the price of oil

In the last 12 months the price of refined petroleum products in Europe has risen sharply (by 21 % in
Italy) and in the last few days the price of crude oil on the New York stock exchange rose to more than 32
dollars a barrel. This worrying rise in the price of fuel and petroleum by-products is solely due to
reductions in the amount put onto the market by the OPEC countries.

At the same time we are witnessing the suffering caused in Iraq by an embargo which continues to
penalise the weakest sections of the population (the World Health Organisation announced back in 1996
that the sanctions had directly caused the deaths of more than one million people, including half a million
children).

Does the Council not consider that an embargo which penalises only the weakest sections of the
population is a violation of the most basic human rights?

Does the Council not consider that it must take steps to persuade the United Nations to review the
embargo against Iraq as a matter of urgency?

Does it not consider that if Iraq resumes marketing crude oil the OPEC countries may revise their
intransigent position?

Reply

(10 July 2000)

The European Union will continue to implement the embargo imposed by UN Security Council resolu-
tions. The prime considerations for the European Union are lasting security and stability in the region as
well as the living conditions of the Iraqi people. The European Union is concerned about the humanitarian
situation in Iraq and is trying to alleviate this situation within the framework of the relevant UN Security
Council resolutions. Notwithstanding the positive effects on Iraq of the sharp rise in oil prices over the last
twelve months, the European Union also notes the importance of full compliance and cooperation by the
Iraqi government in order to improve the humanitarian situation.