WRITTEN QUESTION E-0705/01 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Similarity of the euro logo with that of Thomas Cook and the claim for GBP 25 million.
Date: 2001-03-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: euro, intellectual property, legal action, registered trade mark, type of business

C 340 E/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

removed independent judges from the higher courts, banned public rallies and demonstrations, and
rendered political parties all but powerless. The sweeping powers of arrest, investigation and prosecution
conferred on the National Accountability Bureau by the National Accountability Ordinance are other
causes for concern.

Reply

(16 July 2001)

In the wake of the military coup in autumn 1999, the Council suspended signature of the EC-Pakistan
Cooperation Agreement and interrupted the regular political dialogue. Possibilities for direct
formal
interaction with the regime in Islamabad are therefore limited. However, the Council has on two occasions
(cid:129) November 1999 and November 2000 (cid:129) sent a high-level ad hoc mission to Pakistan, which raised the
various preoccupations mentioned in the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question during talks with General
Musharraf, Government Ministers, senior officials and other interlocutors, in particular representatives of
countries which share the same beliefs and of the international financial institutions present in Islamabad.
The EU has put special emphasis on the need to respect human rights, on freedom of expression and on
an independent judiciary. The EU has also impressed on its Pakistani interlocutors the need for a speedy
and full return to representative democracy. More recently, similar concerns were raised at the Pakistan
Development Forum held in Islamabad from 12 to 15 March 2001.

On behalf of the European Union, the Presidency wrote twice to the Pakistani Minister for the Interior to
express the EU(cid:146)s concerns over the continued application of the ban on outdoor political rallies in Pakistan,
in April and again in May 2001.

in particular the announced return to
The Council will continue to monitor the situation closely,
parliamentary democracy by means of elections to be held at local, provincial and national
level by
October 2002. The Council will also continue to intervene in an appropriate manner where necessary, in
particular by making confidential representations. The EU Heads of Mission in Islamabad will raise
individual cases in the course of their regular contacts with the authorities.

(2001/C 340 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0705/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 March 2001)

Subject: Similarity of the euro logo with that of Thomas Cook and the claim for GBP 25 million

Is the Commission aware of the article in the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad of Saturday, 3 February

1.
2001, entitled (cid:145)Euro gaat Brussel ponden kosten(cid:146) [Euro will cost Brussels pounds]?

2.
Is the Commission aware of the problem referred to in the article of the similarity between the euro
logo and the logo of the British company Thomas Cook which, the company maintains, has been
registered since 1993?

3. Was any preliminary research carried out into other registered logos comparable with the euro logo?
Did this include the Thomas Cook logo? If so, what was the outcome and what is the Commission(cid:146)s
interpretation of the outcome?

4. What is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion of Cook(cid:146)s view, referred to in the article, that the considerable
similarity between its own logo and the euro logo will devalue its own logo?

The board of Thomas Cook has let it be known that it has been endeavouring since 1998 to reach

5.
a solution to this problem with the Commission. Can the Commission confirm this?

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6. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the statement by Thomas Cook(cid:146)s board that the Commission has
never given a serious response to the problem raised by Thomas Cook? What was the reason for this?

Has the Commission been informed by Thomas Cook of a possible claim for damages of GBP 25

7.
million (according to the article)?

Can the Commission confirm that Thomas Cook has set a deadline for a reply and that, in the

8.
absence of a reply, it will file its claim for damages at the end of February?

Does the Commission agree that given the legal process this could result in a long drawn out court

9.
procedures?

10.

Does the Commission agree that this could effect the planned date of introduction of the euro?

11.
If the problems assume such proportions that the planned introductory date of 1 January 2002
cannot be met, is the Commission prepared, in cooperation with the 12 Member States involved, to draw
up an emergency plan for maintaining the existing currency on a provisional basis?

12.

Is the Commission prepared to inform Parliament of the issue and of any follow-up?

13.

Finally, what is the Commission(cid:146)s view of Cook(cid:146)s claim for damages totalling GBP 25 million?

14.
Does the Commission agree that steps must be taken to prevent it being manoeuvred into a position
where there is no solution but to hand over the damages requested (cid:129) European citizens(cid:146) tax (cid:129) to prevent
even bigger problems?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2001)

The Commission is aware of the actions launched by Thomas Cook on the euro logo.

The whole of
Communities, no written or spoken declaration can be made by the Commission.

to an action with the Court of

the dossier being subject

the First

Instance of

the

Nevertheless, the Commission considers that this action cannot affect the date of the introduction of the
euro.

(2001/C 340 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0717/01

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Stage reached in the approval of the Canaries tax AIEM

(8 March 2001)

The industrial sector in the Canaries has expressed concern at the delay within the Commission regarding
approval of the tax on the importation and transfer of goods in the Canaries (AIEM). In the past week,
business representatives explained to Community tax experts their concerns regarding the delay in the
introduction of the AIEM and in the approval of the regulation governing exemptions from duty on
imports of certain industrial and fisheries products. Failure to approve the rules in the course of this year
could lead to the cessation of the bulk of industrial activity in the Canaries.

Can the Commission say what stage has been reached in work on the approval of the AIEM, and can it
give a date for its entry into force?