WRITTEN QUESTION E-2033/00 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. The treatment of pain.
Date: 2000-06-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU research policy, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, palliative care

C 89 E/134

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

(2001/C 89 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2030/00

by Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: Plant health measures

Although they are treated like one of the poor relations of the agricultural provisions of the Poseidom
programme for agriculture (Article 11), plant health measures to combat organisms harmful to plants are
of major importance for extremely remote areas.

Under these circumstances, the inadequacy of the funding currently provided and the excessive delays
between completion of measures and release of funds due is all the more regrettable.

What specific measures will the Commission take in response to these two problems?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(3 August 2000)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the phytosanitary situation of the French
overseas departments has received particular attention since 1993. Indeed, since 1993, a very high number
of action programmes presented by France for its overseas departments have been cofinanced from the
Community budget, enabling these departments to cope effectively with specific phytosanitary problems
which are inherent
the
phytosanitary subprogramme covering at least three different categories of projects for each part of the
overseas departments amounts to € 700 000.

to their remote and partially insular nature.

the cofinancing of

In 1999,

The Commission will be vigilant to avoid unnecessary delays in the administrative procedures for the
payment of the Community financial contribution as granted. Moreover, the Commission will examine, on
the basis of the budgetary orientations laid down in its report of 14 March 2000 on Article 299§2 of the
EC Treaty (ex Article 227) (1), the possibilities for stabilising the co-financing of appropriate action
programmes for phytosanitary improvement.

(1) COM(2000) 147 final (cid:129) This report indicated, in its conclusions, that (cid:145)The Commission(cid:146)s proposals with budgetary
implications will receive special attention, pursuant to Article 299(2), under the financial perspective included in the
interinstitutional agreement of 6 May 1999(cid:146).

(2001/C 89 E/147)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2033/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: The treatment of pain

It would appear that hundreds of thousands of people suffer daily from high levels of physical pain. Only a
small number of these people receive analgesic treatment with opioids, in line with the directives issued by
the World Health Organisation, which considers that the treatment of pain is one of the main indicators of
the quality of a health service.

Can the Commission say what position Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain, occupy

1.
among the industrialised countries with regard to the treatment of pain;

Can it say whether any of the research programmes funded by the Union in the area of public health

2.
specifically relate to therapies designed to alleviate pain;

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/135

If so, can it indicate whether, in addition to traditional opioids, there are any new drugs which can

3.
be used to combat pain;

Does a Community agency exist which is able to coordinate such research and disseminate the

4.
findings in all the Member States?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

1.

The Commission has no data on the treatment of pain.

2.
Two research projects in the Biomed 2 programme (fourth framework programme) and in the
(cid:145)Quality of life and management of living recourses(cid:146) programme (fifth framework programme) deal directly
with the treatment of pain: (cid:145)Opioid treatment of chronic pain and inflammation in the locomotor system(cid:146)
and (cid:145)Mechanisms of trigeminal pain(cid:146). Besides these two projects, the Commission is currently funding eight
other pain research projects of a generic nature. Another project is now in the contract negotiation phase.

Under the third action plan to combat cancer (Decision 646/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 29 March 1996 (1)), a number of initiatives geared particularly towards palliative care include
pain management among their areas of action.

3.

Opioids remain the treatment of choice for patients with chronic pain.

4.
The Commission is not aware of the existence of such an agency. However, the dissemination and
possible exploitation of results is an important and mandatory element within each project funded under
the fourth and fifth framework programmes. The framework programme provides for several instruments
(concerted actions, thematic networks, virtual institutes) for coordinating research activities in a specific
field in Europe, in line with the philosophy of the European research area.

(1) OJ L 95, 16.4.1996.

(2001/C 89 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2034/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Direct aid to the farming sector

(21 June 2000)

JosØ Manuel Silva, the Commissioner Director-General of Agriculture and Rural Development recently took
part in the presentation of a university study claiming that Galician agricultural productivity is a mere
16 % of the European average. In statements reported in the Galician press, Mr Silva said that the Galician
agricultural sector (cid:145)does not receive large quantities of direct aid, because its basic products, namely milk
and meat, are subject to a market system rather than subsidy arrangements(cid:146). What perverse mechanism is
that Community subsidies, especially via the EAGGF guarantee,
therefore responsible for the fact
particularly benefit the richest areas and farming communities, to the detriment of others which,
like
Galicia, are perfectly capable of developing a multi-purpose agriculture really based on the land?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

The Commission can confirm that the agricultural sector in Galicia receives relatively little direct aid
because its basic products, milk and meat, are mainly supported via the market out of the pockets of
consumers and not in the form of subsidies from the taxpayer.