WRITTEN QUESTION E-0218/01 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. Chiropractic healthcare provision in the EU.
Date: 2001-02-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: legal status, national law, practitioner of alternative medicine

C 235 E/156

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

indirectly, the Commission(cid:146)s discretion in deciding to disclose confidential information in its answer to
a question put to it by a Member of Parliament acting in an individual capacity under the third
paragraph of Article 197 of the EC Treaty and the relevant Rules of Procedure of the European
Parliament.

That paragraph must be viewed in conjunction with paragraphs 50 and 51, which read as follows:

On the other hand, if the request for confidential information is put by Parliament, that is, by one of
the parliamentary authorities referred to in point 1.4 of Annex III to the Framework Agreement, the
transmission of that information by the Commission is governed by the Agreement.

It follows that the Framework Agreement, which governs only relations between Parliament and the
Commission, has not prima facie altered the legal position of Members of Parliament acting in an
individual capacity regarding their right under the third paragraph of Article 197 of the EC Treaty,
does not affect the right conferred by that article and therefore has no legal effect on Members acting
in an individual capacity.

Accordingly, the President of the Court of First Instance points out that the Framework Agreement, which
was approved by Parliament on 5 July 2000, does not alter the Commission(cid:146)s procedure for dealing with
questions put to it by Members of Parliament acting under Article 197 of the EC Treaty. He further
indicates that the Commission enjoys a discretion in deciding whether to communicate confidential
information in an answer to a question put under Article 197 of the EC Treaty.

In view of the decision of the President of the Court of First Instance, the Commission considers it
unnecessary for it to review the answers it gave to the questions put by the Honourable Member.

(2001/C 235 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0218/01

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(5 February 2001)

Subject: Chiropractic healthcare provision in the EU

Would the Commission provide information and data on the legal status of chiropractic healthcare in the
Member States of the EU?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 2001)

The legal provisions governing chiropractic healthcare vary from one Member State to another.
In
a significant number, the activities in question are exclusively reserved for doctors whereas, in others,
this form of healthcare is provided by suitably qualified professionals.

The Commission has no general information on the current legal status of chiropractic healthcare in the
Member States, but would refer the Honourable Member to the Resolution on the status of non-
conventional medicine adopted by Parliament at its sitting of 29 May 1997 (1), which outlines the situation
at that time.

Nevertheless, since certain changes have been, or are being, introduced, the Honourable Member may wish
to contact the relevant European association of qualified professionals not holding a diploma in medicine
(the address will be sent directly both to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat-General).

(1) Doc. A4-0075/97.