WRITTEN QUESTION E-2375/00 by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission. European Journalism Centre.
Date: 2000-07-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, European school, communications profession

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/191

The Commission understands that the Dutch government has proposed a legal framework for a system of
self-regulation for audiovisual media in the Netherlands, and has also provided financial assistance for the
establishment of the Netherlands Institute for the classification of audiovisual media (NICAM). NICAM
brings together Dutch public service and commercial broadcasting organisations, film and video producers,
video stores, retailers, and computer games distributors. The Commission understands that it is intended
also to include Internet service providers in NICAM. A new Dutch media law will disband the Netherlands
board of film classification but it is intended that its knowledge and expertise will be employed within
NICAM.

The Council Recommendation of 24 September 1998 on the development of the competitiveness of
2.
the European audiovisual and information services industry by promoting national frameworks aimed at
achieving a comparable and effective level of protection of minors and human dignity (98/560/EC) (1) calls
on Member States to establish national self-regulation frameworks in audiovisual and information services.
The approach taken by the Dutch government would appear to be fully in line with the Recommendation.

Children today use audiovisual media in a variety of forms. They go to the cinema, they watch television
and videos, they play computer games and they surf on the Internet. There would seem to be no reason
why each medium for delivering audiovisual content (often the same content) should be subject to
different classification systems. Indeed, this is highly confusing for parents. A coherent approach to the
classification of audiovisual media is therefore to be welcomed.

3.
The Commission does not see a contradiction here, since the approach of the Dutch government is
not to simply abolish the Dutch board of film censors but to replace it with a system and an institute that
covers all audiovisual media. NICAM has stated its desire to employ the knowledge and expertise of the
Dutch board of film censors when the latter is disbanded.

As already stated, systems for classifying audiovisual media and for protecting minors from harmful
4.
audiovisual content are primarily the responsibility of Member States. However, it is the Commission(cid:146)s
view that a coherent approach to the classification of audiovisual media (cinema, television; video games,
Internet) would be more comprehensible for parents and would lead to a higher level of protection for
minors. Film classification boards in all Member States have gathered almost a century of experience in the
evaluation and classification of audiovisual material, and their participation in any such approach would
therefore seem to be essential.

(1) OJ L 270, 7.10.1998.

(2001/C 89 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2375/00

by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 July 2000)

Subject: European Journalism Centre

The European Journalism Centre serves as the only pan-European school of journalism. It is known as an
excellent and important centre of journalism throughout the European states.

Originally begun with a budget of € 450 000 from the Commission, this accounted for 90 % of the centre(cid:146)s
funding. By 1999, the centre(cid:146)s budget had increased to such an extent that the same Commission grant
accounted for 26 % of the centre(cid:146)s funding. This dramatic increase of funds from the private sector and
other investors, along with the concurrent increase of projects and programmes offered by the centre, are a
testament to a successful initiative and indicate Commission funds which were well invested and continue
to support a viable and vibrant initiative.

Last year the centre was notified that the Commission would abolish the grant it had received from 2001
onwards, but that the centre could apply for funding directly for projects of the type which it currently
offers.

C 89 E/192

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

The centre welcomed this proposal as it felt it could successfully compete for grant monies. With the
collapse of the previous Commission and the subsequent reshuffling however, the centre is now in a
position where it has not yet been notified of final policy decisions relating to this decision. If nothing is
done, the centre will be in a position from December onwards of losing its grant while not yet having had
the opportunity to bid for contracts to supply the funds which will be lost. The prospect of losing 25 % of
its income without chance to win a tender in its place, makes project proposals, budgeting and manage-
ment impossible.

Can the Commission indicate which budget lines and project tenders will be open to replace this line of
funding for the European Journalism Centre?

Can the Commission state at which point these budget lines will be announced and what timeframe will be
indicated for application and grant decisions?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Since its foundation in 1994, the European Journalism Centre in Maastricht has developed very important
training activities for journalists from all Member States and the applicant countries in Central and Eastern
Europe. The Commission is aware of the importance of these activities and has supported the Centre since
the very beginning.

As far as the funding in the past is concerned, the Honourable Member is mistaken on two points.

The Commission gave an annual subvention of € 500 000 during the years 1992 to 1998, then € 450 000
in 1999. For this year, the overall amount would be again around € 450 000.

Secondly, the Commission notified the board of the European Journalism Centre already in November
1998 that the general subvention would come to an end in the year 2000. This decision was commu-
nicated at an early stage in order to allow for a reasonable period of adaptation and for exploring new
initiatives and possibilities for the Centre.

The European Journalism Centre can apply to all calls for proposals launched by the Commission, such as
the call for the submission of projects organised by European associations and federations (budget line
A-3024), and the call for proposals: support for information campaigns organised by non-governmental
organisations (budget line B3-300). Information about general conditions and time-schedules can be found
in the Official journal and on the Europa server.

(2001/C 89 E/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2380/00

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(13 July 2000)

Subject: Measures for monitoring the quality of Ecstasy

French Minister Jack Lang has proposed setting up, during events and gatherings for young people at
which it is probable that Ecstasy-taking will be widespread, an aid service which would be able, through
tests, to check the (cid:145)safety(cid:146) of the pills distributed, in order to identify pills (cid:145)cut(cid:146) with highly toxic substances
and avoid exposing those who use Ecstasy on such occasions to fatal risks.

As a matter of principle, how does the Commission view this proposal? What consumer protection
measures does the Commission consider could be taken, in view of the principle of the consumer(cid:146)s right to
the
accurate information? Does the Commission not believe that
consumption of certain substances that, by driving their production and marketing underground,
encourages products to appear on the market which are utterly devoid of quality standards of any sort?
Does the Commission not believe that failing to apply the most basic quality criteria to a whole class of
substances is difficult to reconcile with the responsibility that the Community sets out, in Article 153,
regarding consumer health protection?

is the very criminalisation of

it