WRITTEN QUESTION E-3125/00 by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission. Regulatory directive to combat the availability of pornography on subscription channels.
Date: 2000-10-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: approximation of laws, audiovisual communications policy, audiovisual programme, child protection, pay television, pornography

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/189

(2001/C 136 E/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3123/00

by James Nicholson (PPE-DE) to the Council

(16 October 2000)

Subject: Oppression of Christians in Egypt

Concerned people in the European Union continue to highlight the oppression of Coptic Christians in
Egypt and draw particular attention to the cases of Fakhri Ayyad Mus(cid:146)ad, Souroial Gayed Isshak, Aziz
Tawfik Rezkalah and Shaiboub William Arsal.

Would the Council indicate what representations have been made to the Egyptian Government and what
undertakings have been received regarding the protection of lives and property of the Coptic Christian
community?

Reply

(20/21 December 2000)

The Honourable Parliamentarian is requested to refer to the Council replies to the recent Questions
E-2456/00 (the case of William Shaiboub), E-1995/00 (the Coptic minority in Egypt) and that of H-0454/
00 (Human Rights in Egypt).

(2001/C 136 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3125/00

by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: Regulatory directive to combat the availability of pornography on subscription channels

Can the Commission state which Member States allow hard core pornography on domestic and satellite
subscription channels and what proposals there are for a regulatory directive in this area?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(30 November 2000)

The television without frontiers Directive (Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the
coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States
concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (1) as amended by Directive 97/36/EC of the
Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 (2)) provides the legal framework for television broadcasting
within the Community.

The Commission is aware of the possible effects that pornographic material may have on minors. As
regards the distribution by television of audio-visual material,
the Directive establishes a common
minimum standard for the protection of minors (Article 22) and requires Member States to ensure that
television broadcasts by broadcasters under their jurisdiction do not include programmes which might
seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of minors, in particular those that involve
pornography or gratuitous violence.

In respect of the specific issue of the protection of minors and human dignity, the Commission is
preparing a report for the Parliament and the Council on measures taken by the Member States in applying
the Council Recommendation 98/560/EC of 24 September 1998 on the development of the competitive-
ness of the European audio-visual and information services industry by promoting national frameworks
aimed at achieving a comparable and effective level of protection of minors and human dignity (3).
A detailed questionnaire was recently transmitted to the Member States with a view to the preparation of
the report.

C 136 E/190

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

The implementation and application of Community law is of great importance to the Commission.
Measures have been taken on a number of occasions, in accordance with Articles 2(2) and 22 of the
Directive, and the Commission has, as provided by the Directive, fulfilled its obligations as regards the
assessment of those measures.

A directive in this area at Community level could only be considered if the establishment and functioning
of the internal market called for the approximation of the provisions currently applied by the Member
States in this field. The Commission is not aware of any circumstances calling for such action, but would
be interested in any further information that could be supplied.

(1) OJ L 298, 17.10.1989.
(2) OJ L 202, 30.7.1997.
(3) OJ L 270, 7.10.1998.

(2001/C 136 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3126/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: Death of seabirds

Does the Commission agree with the claim made by some environmental organisations that more than
250 000 seabirds are being killed annually by swallowing baited fish hooks set on long line fishing vessels?

What estimate has the Commission made of the number of birds killed annually by this means in
European waters?

Is the Commission taking steps to try and reduce the number of deaths?

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

(10 November 2000)

The Commission is certainly aware of this issue, given the world-wide dimension of the Community(cid:146)s
fisheries sector. However, it cannot judge the accuracy of the figure mentioned by the Honourable Member
without more precise information on the species affected, the seas where the incidental catches occur, the
type of fisheries involved and, finally, the accuracy of the sources of the claim.

The Commission is not aware that incidental catches of seabirds in longline fisheries within Community
waters constitute a problem. Most of the concerns expressed to it have referred to the incidental catches of
albatrosses in the Southern Hemisphere (oceans).

The Commission works to ensure that special priority is attached to the conservation of the marine
environment and of non-commercial species. Member States also play a critical role in the definition and
implementation of both environmental and fisheries(cid:146) measures.

The Birds Directive (1) provides a strong legal framework to protect seabirds within the Community.

Recent initiatives to address this problem are: Council Regulation (EC) No 66/98, of 18 December 1997,
which lays down certain conservation and control measures applicable in the Antarctic zone (2), aimed at