WRITTEN QUESTION E-1258/00 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Patients influenced by the pharmaceuticals industry through unacceptable advertising for prescription medicines.
Date: 2000-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, advertising malpractice, application of EU law, competence of the Member States, medicinal product

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/113

It is important not to pre-empt the final results of the studies described above. However, the Commission
has supported these studies and associated activities on the basis that the project(cid:146)s socio-economic viability
is strong, and that it will contribute substantially to re-balancing the distribution of Alpine traffic between
the different transport modes. This in turn should help to reduce problems of safety, environment and
congestion in existing trans-Alpine traffic.

Regarding developments on the Italian side, the Commission notes with approval the commitment by the
Italian authorities to implementation of key sections. In particular, with regard to the Torino (cid:129) Trieste part
(460 km of new line, bringing the axis up to 4 tracks), works have started on some key nodes and their
respective access lines. On the Torino-Milano and Padova (cid:129) Mestre sections, works are expected to start in
2000/2001, with opening aimed at for around 2006.

The Commission is willing to play an active role in animating and co-ordinating discussions on the
phasing and financing of the projects in question, once the outstanding political decisions have been taken,
whether these discussions are at international level or between national authorities and those at local or
regional level. Regarding the financing of the international section, the Commission is particularly aware of
the need to take account of suggestions made by some regions concerning the use of public-private
partnerships and the need to consider the impact of infrastructure pricing policy on possible sources of
revenue.

(2001/C 53 E/143)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1258/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 April 2000)

Subject: Patients influenced by the pharmaceuticals industry through unacceptable advertising for prescrip-

tion medicines

1.
Is the Commission aware of a report in the Dutch press (Trouw, 31 March 2000) which shows, on
the basis of information from the advertising inspectorate, that the pharmaceuticals industry in the
Netherlands is guilty of large-scale infringement of European rules on the advertising of prescription
medicines?

2.
The reports refer to (cid:145)huge abuses(cid:146), in particular by infringing the rules on prescription medicines
targeted at consumers. Does the Commission agree that this form of advertising must be vigorously
stamped out?

The report gives the specific example of the drug Xenical manufactured by Roche. Is the Commission

3.
prepared to conduct an inquiry into this company(cid:146)s advertising campaign aimed at patients?

4.
Is the Commission prepared to push for effective implementation and enforcement of the rules of the
European Union which ban advertising targeted at patients and which include means of dealing with
companies in this respect?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2000)

The Commission has not been directly aware of the information published in the Dutch press.

Chapter II, on advertising for public purposes in Directive 92/280/EC (1) on advertising states that such
advertising must be banned where this applies to medical products that can only be supplied on medical
prescription.
It is thus for the Member States to ensure that the market is monitored in terms of
advertising in accordance with the provisions of that Directive. They will also lay down the penalties to
be imposed where there is any infringement.

C 53 E/114

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

As regards the specific example of the medical product Xenical produced by Roche Laboratories: where
this is a medical product whose marketing authorisation has been granted via the centralised procedure,
i.e. by the Commission, after receiving the opinion of the Scientific Committee advising the European
Agency for the Evaluation of Medical Product, the Commission will examine the problem raised with the
holder of
the marketing authorisation and with the Dutch authorities responsible for supervising
advertising on their national territory. The holder of the marketing authorisation is, indeed, responsible
for the advertising applying to those medical products for which he has obtained the marketing permit.

If it should emerge that there has been an infringement of Directive 92/28/EEC, the Commission will take
the action needed.

(1) Council Directive 92/28/EEC of 13 March 1992 on the advertising of medicinal products for human use (OJ L 113,

30.4.1992).

(2001/C 53 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1260/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE)
and Marie Isler BØguin (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 April 2000)

Subject: Expulsion of bears from the French Pyrenees

In late March 2000 the French parliament decided that brown bears in the (French) Pyrenees should be
forced to move home. In 1996 a number of brown bears from Slovenia were specially imported to
strengthen and inject new life into the population of brown bears in the Pyrenees which faced extinction.

Does the Commission agree that capturing these brown bears and forcibly removing them to Slovenia or
to zoos is a infringement of the habitats directive?

If so, what action does the Commission intend to take to induce the French authorities to abandon the
forcible relocation of bears?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

The Honourable Member refers to an amendment adopted at first reading by the French National
Assembly. To date, the Commission has not been informed of any final decision by the French authorities
to capture bears reintroduced to the central Pyrenees or their cubs.

If France does decide to capture the bears,
it must abide by the provisions of Article 16 of Council
Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora (1) (cid:129) the Habitats Directive. The Commission has not been informed of any decision by Slovenia to
accept bears relocated from the Pyrenees.

The Commission hopes that the LIFE-Nature project under way in the Pyrenees will be able to continue
with bears reintroduced to or born in these mountains, where until recently they occurred naturally.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2001/C 53 E/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1263/00

by Lord Inglewood (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 April 2000)

Subject: Chinese accession to the WTO

Could the Commission state what, on the basis of its present negotiating position, will be the likely
budgetary implications in terms of customs tariff revenues and agricultural levies on the one hand, and
including projections for agricultural export refunds and any other relevant impacts on
expenditure,