WRITTEN QUESTION E-0907/01 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Granting of radio station licences and preserving pluralism in the mass media.
Date: 2001-03-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, broadcasting, competence of the Member States, freedom of expression, pluralism in the media, trade licence

C 350 E/54

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

A new FPA came into force in January 1999. ECHO then prioritised the conclusion of Framework
Partnership Agreements with former partners and NGOs which had already worked with it. Around 300
applications were examined during 1999 and 2000,
leading to the conclusion of 184 Partnership
Agreements.

MSF-Greece submitted a new application to sign a Framework Partnership Agreement in October 1999.

Soon afterwards,
it submitted an application for funding for a project regarding the tuberculosis
department of the Toponica psychiatric hospital. It was not selected for reasons connected with the
application of Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1257/96. To check on the NGO(cid:146)s compliance with this
Article, and in particular whether it had operational and financial capacities required to implement the
project, it was necessary first to carry out an audit, since MSF-Greece had not signed the Framework
Agreement. This would have delayed the action well beyond the implementation deadline of
the
Commission(cid:146)s financial decision.

ECHO intends to begin selecting new partners under Framework Agreements at the beginning of 2002
targeting applications from NGOs which have never worked with the Office, including MSF-Greece. The
implementation procedures for
appraisal procedure was initially postponed to allow the revision of
Framework Partnership Agreements in 2000, and subsequently the drafting of the new FPA, planned for
2001. As a result, this year priority was again given to partners with proven experience of Framework
Agreements and those who have already carried out operations. On 19 April 2001 a letter was sent to
MSF-Greece giving them an opportunity to confirm their eligibility. An answer is expected which would
allow them to submit their application.

The person responsible for relations with NGOs met an MSF-Greece delegation in December 2000 to
ensure transparency. A detailed explanation of
the reasons justifying the delay in processing the
partnership application was given and allegations of discrimination due to pressure from the MSF
international movement against its former section were formally rebutted.

The Commission fully respects the independence of its partner NGOs. However, it notes that there is still
doubt over the use of the name (cid:145)MSF-Greece(cid:146). It will naturally apply court rulings on the right to use the
MSF name and logo. Meanwhile it is up to MSF-Greece to provide the necessary assurances of its
entitlement to use the name and logo, so that the Commission can plan a contract in compliance with the
rules on sound financial management.

ECHO will examine in detail and with interest partnership applications from MSF-Greece and any other
NGO.

If MSF-Greece feels its rights have been infringed it can seek redress against the Commission via the
European Ombudsman.

(2001/C 350 E/057)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0907/01

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Granting of radio station licences and preserving pluralism in the mass media

Under the new legislative arrangements introduced by the Greek Government for the granting of radio
station licences, three stations were put in joint last place, including Skai, the station with the highest
ratings, which on many occasions does not follow the official Greek Government line.

Since, under Article 6 of the EU Treaty, the European Union is founded on the principles of liberty,
democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, and since, under the
protocol incorporated into the Amsterdam Treaty, the system of public broadcasting in the Member States

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/55

is directly related to the democratic, social and cultural needs of each society and to the need to preserve
media pluralism:

1.

Is there or is there not an express requirement that the Member States should respect and protect the
above-mentioned principles, and in particular the principle of media pluralism?

2. Has it been ensured that the Greek legislative framework on broadcasting is in harmony with

Community legislation and Treaty rules?

3.

Is Community legislation being breached, and what does the Commission intend to do to prevent
both the obvious breach of basic and fundamental principles in the case of Skai and other cases where
the free and pluralistic functioning of the media in the Union is under attack?

4. What steps does the Commission intend to take to preserve pluralism, the provision of information on
equal
terms and journalistic standards, as well as the meritocratic organisation of the National
Broadcasting Council and the competence to withdraw licences in cases where transparency rules are
breached?

5. What

is the Commission(cid:146)s position in more general

terms towards the Member States under
Article 11(2) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which states that (cid:145)the
freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected(cid:146)?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2001)

The Commission takes the view that respect for pluralism in the media is one of the fundamental
principles on which democracy and the rule of law are based, as is reflected in Article 11(2) of the Charter
of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

It would point out that the granting of radio station licences, in the domestic context described by the
Honourable Member, does not fall within the scope of Community law in the light of case-law handed
down by the Court of Justice. The Honourable Member(cid:146)s questions should be raised with the Greek
regulator, the National Broadcasting Council.

Article 51(1) of the Charter states that the Charter is addressed to the Member States only when they are
implementing Union law.

Lastly, the Commission would point that, if freedom of expression is deemed to have been infringed, the
matter may be brought before the European Court of Human Rights, sitting in Strasbourg under the aegis
of the Council of Europe, once remedies in domestic law have been exhausted.

(2001/C 350 E/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0916/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Recombinant vaccine

The Portuguese Hunting Federation has told the European Agency for Medicinal Products that
the
recombinant vaccine for the control of viral haemorrhagic disease and mixomatosis in wild rabbits needs
to be made available as soon as possible.

According to the Federation this vaccine must be licensed as soon as possible so that it can be marketed,
since the rabbit population has already been decimated by the above-mentioned diseases.

Can the Commission therefore say what measures are to be taken to solve the problem of these diseases in
rabbits?