WRITTEN QUESTION E-3720/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Trade in cigarettes.
Date: 2000-11-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, Cyprus, Province of Antwerp, Yugoslavia, confiscation of property, extra-EU trade, illicit trade, tobacco industry

C 318 E/6

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

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

(26 January 2001)

First of all, it should be pointed out that, in the context of a complaint filed against the scheme to build
a road linking Cabanes and Oropesa in the province of Castell(cid:243)n, the Commission is in the process of
examining the environmental impact of the project, which is the subject of the Honourable Member(cid:146)s
question.

It should be noted that Article 2 of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of
the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1) stipulates that projects likely to
have significant effects on the environment by virtue inter alia, of their nature, size or location shall be
made subject to an assessment with regard to their effects before consent is given.

This provision applies to projects listed in Annexes 1 and 2 of the Directive. For projects covered by
Annex 2, such as the road scheme referred to above, Article 4(2) of the Directive states that such projects
shall be made subject to an assessment where Member States consider that their characteristics so require.

Directive 85/337/EEC was amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (2). However,
Article 3(2) of Directive 97/11/EC states that
for development consent is submitted to
a competent authority before 14 March 1999, the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC prior to these
amendments shall continue to apply.

if a request

The proposed road would be built nearby the Desierto de las Palmas natural park, which is listed by the
Spanish authorities as a site of Community interest which may in the future become part of the
Natura 2000 network under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural
habitats and of wild fauna and flora (3).

When investigating this complaint, the Commission requested the Spanish authorities to submit their
opinion on the project in question. Their reply has just been received.

The case is being examined to ascertain whether Directive 85/337/EEC has been applied and to determine
whether the case in question may have a significant effect on the above-mentioned site in terms of the
objectives set out in Directive 92/43/EEC, in which case the procedure laid down in Article 6 of that
Directive should be applied.

In its role of guardian of the treaties, the Commission will take the necessary measures to ensure that
Community law is respected.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(3) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2001/C 318 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3720/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 November 2000)

Subject: Trade in cigarettes

The Commission(cid:146)s legal dispute with two American tobacco manufacturers has focused interest once more
on the import and export of cigarettes. There is a degree of uncertainty about the extent of the cigarette
trade (including smuggling).

I should therefore be glad if the Commission could answer these questions:

1. How many cigarettes were confiscated in the various EU Member States in 1997, 1998 and 1999?

2. Which were the five most confiscated makes of cigarettes in the EU, in order of importance, in 1997,

1998 and 1999?

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/7

3. Which Member States exported cigarettes to Cyprus in 1997-1999 (data broken down by year,

Member State and number of cigarettes)?

4. Which Member States exported cigarettes to Yugoslavia in 1997-1999 (data broken down by year,

Member State and number of cigarettes)?

5.

From which countries were cigarettes imported into the EU in 1997-1999 through the port of
Antwerp? (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

6. To which countries outside the EU were cigarettes exported from the Belgian Federation in 1997-

1999 (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

(2001/C 318 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1344/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(4 May 2001)

Subject: Trade in cigarettes

The Commission(cid:146)s legal action against two American tobacco manufacturers has placed the import and
export of cigarettes back in the centre of attention. The extent of the trade in (and smuggling of) cigarettes
is not clear.

In its reply to Question E-3720/00 (1) of 3 November 2000 the Commission stated on 18 January that it
(cid:145)is collecting the information it needs to answer the question(cid:146).
its
investigation as soon as possible.

It should disclose the results of

I should therefore be glad if the Commission would answer the following questions:

1. How many cigarettes were confiscated in the various EU Member States in 1997, 1998 and 1999?

2. Which were the five most confiscated brands of cigarettes in the EU, in order of importance, in 1997,

1998 and 1999?

3. Which Member States exported cigarettes to Cyprus in 1997-1999 (data broken down by year,

Member State and number of cigarettes)?

4. Which Member States exported cigarettes to Yugoslavia in 1997-1999 (data broken down by year,

Member State and number of cigarettes)?

5.

From which countries were cigarettes imported into the EU in 1997-1999 through the port of
Antwerp? (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

6. To which countries outside the EU were cigarettes exported from the Belgian Federation in 1997-

1999? (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

(1) OJ C 151 E, 22.5.2001, p. 204.

Supplementary joint answer
to Written Questions E-3720/00 and E-1344/01
given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(22 May 2001)

The Commission would first point out, on the basis of the available statistics which are not binding on it
that:

(cid:129) several billion cigarettes are seized each year;

(cid:129) from 1997 to 1999, Italy appears in each of these years to be the Member State with the highest
number of cigarettes seized (in 1999, almost 35 % of the total of cigarettes seized within the
Community);

(cid:129) between 1997 and 1999, the increase in the number of cigarettes seized within the Community is
215 %. However, the importance of this global increase varies in the different Member States. During
this short period, Belgium had a rate of increase of 2 701 %, followed by the Netherlands (1 899 %)
and Finland (1 570 %).