WRITTEN QUESTION P-0149/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. 12-mile fishing zone for Greek fishermen.
Date: 2001-01-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, common fisheries policy, competence of the Member States, fishing area, fishing regulations, territorial waters

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/129

The Commission emphasised its commitment to the principle of solidarity, specifying that any
2.
exemptions granted in the case of the collective sale of broadcasting rights must take consumer interests
into account and ensure that restrictions on competition are proportionate to the legitimate objective
pursued and the nature of sport. This implies solidarity between economically stronger or weaker
participants, and between professional and amateur sport, and sport played by young people. The
Commission(cid:146)s stance was reinforced by the Nice Declaration on Sport (2).

3.
The Commission is monitoring very closely the question of selling rights to broadcast sporting
events. Any such sales must comply with the competition rules set out in the EC Treaty. The Commission
is currently carrying out an in-depth study of the question of collective sales of television broadcasting
rights. With regard to the application of Article 3a(1) of Directive 97/36/EC of the Parliament and the
Council of 30 June 1997 amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain
provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit
of television broadcasting activities (3), it was decided to introduce an optional provision, under which
Member States must (cid:145)ensure wide access by the public to television coverage of national or non-national
events of major importance for society(cid:146). This principle applies only in the Member States which have opted
to establish a list of events of this nature. Since, according to Article 3a(1) of the above Directive, the
Member State concerned may apply measures taken in this context only to broadcasters under its
these measures are not
jurisdiction, Article 3a(3) requires the other Member States to ensure that
circumvented by broadcasters under their jurisdiction. Consequently, there cannot be said to be a general
principle which requires the Member States to ensure wide access by the general public to events of major
importance at Community level. It should be noted that, so far, only four Member States have given
official notification of measures taken under Article 3a(1). These have been published in the Official
Journal. Two other Member States have indicated that they intend to give notification in the near future of
measures taken.

4.
As indicated in the reply to the previous question, the Commission is monitoring the question of
collective sales of broadcasting rights for sporting events closely and has begun a study on this subject. It
feels that, for the time being, the existing rules at Community level,
in particular competition law,
adequately address the concentration phenomena in the sector.

(1) Report from the Commission to the European Council with a view to safeguarding current sports structures and
maintaining the social function of sport within the Community framework (cid:129) The Helsinki Report on Sport (cid:129)
COM(1999) 644 final.

(2) Conclusions of the Presidency (cid:129) European Council in Nice (cid:129) 7, 8 and 9 December 2000 (cid:129) Annex IV: declaration
on the specific characteristics of sport and its social functions in Europe which must be taken into account in the
implementation of common policies.

(3) OJ L 202, 30.7.1997.

(2001/C 235 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0149/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 January 2001)

Subject: 12-mile fishing zone for Greek fishermen

Current Community legislation gives Greek fishermen exclusive fishing rights within an area of six nautical
miles as opposed to twelve nautical miles for the other Member States and, in particular, the Mediterranean
countries. Greek fishermen do not, therefore, receive equal treatment and are at a disadvantage under the
common fisheries policy as their exclusive fishing zone is restricted to a mere three miles as opposed to
the other Member States(cid:146) nine miles.

According to the declaration relating to Article 5(1) of Annex IX of the International Convention on the
Law of the Sea, the Community has exclusive competence over the maintenance and management of
marine fishery resources and, therefore, the authority to adopt relevant rules and provisions. Will the
Commission, therefore, say whether it will use that competence to eliminate the unequal treatment of

C 235 E/130

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Greek fishermen and to grant them also exclusive fishing rights within a zone of 12 nautical miles, or
24 nautical miles, if Parliament(cid:146)s resolution contained in report A4-0018/1999 (1), is adopted, which calls
for the establishment of a 24-mile economic exclusion zone for fishing?

(1) OJ C 153, 1.6.1999.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 2001)

Under customary international law, as codified by Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea (Unclos), every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not
exceeding 12 nautical miles measured from baselines determined in accordance with the Convention. The
rule applies unchanged to Member States, since they have not transferred their sovereignty in this matter
to the Community. The Community is therefore not empowered to take action regarding the breadth of
territorial sea adopted by a Member State or regarding the consequences arising from the fact that
a Member State has decided not to change the breadth of its territorial sea.

(2001/C 235 E/136)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0151/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 January 2001)

Subject: Economy class syndrome

The so-called (cid:145)economy class syndrome(cid:146) hit the headlines recently when a young British woman died in
a London airport immediately after her flight from Sidney. According to medical studies that have been
published, at least 25 people have died over the last eight years as a result of this syndrome, which is
observed after long-haul air journeys. The causes of these deaths can in most cases be traced to the
formation of blood clots, which are believed to be caused by long periods of immobility. The UK
Government has already issued instructions to the airlines obliging them to warn passengers of the danger
of the formation of blood clots.

What information does the Commission have on this subject and what does it intend to do prevent similar
events occurring in the future?

(2001/C 235 E/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0155/01

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) and Dagmar Roth-Behrendt (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Air quality on board certain types of aircraft

(31 January 2001)

According to press reports (International Herald Tribune of Friday, 27 October 2000), complaints from
flight attendants and passengers about feeling ill on Boeing 777 aircraft have led to investigations being
undertaken by United Airlines and British Airways into the air quality on board that type of aircraft. The
Boeing 777 can fly at an altitude of 12 400 metres, higher than any other type of aircraft, and that can
result in less oxygen being available and in variations in the aircraft(cid:146)s air-conditioning system leading to
some sections of the aircraft being hotter than others and to some passengers feeling sick during the flight.
Complaints relate to shortness of breath, nosebleeds, headaches and itchy throats. Some passengers have
even fainted at the end of the flight.