WRITTEN QUESTION E-1344/01 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Trade in cigarettes.
Date: 2001-05-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, Cyprus, Province of Antwerp, Yugoslavia, confiscation of property, extra-EU trade, illicit trade, tobacco industry

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 %).

C 318 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Amongst the brands of cigarettes produced in the Member States, the highest number of cigarettes seized
in 1999 was, by order of importance, Regal, Superkings, West and Benson & Hedges. Amongst the brands
of cigarettes produced outside the European Community, the highest number of cigarettes seized, also in
1999, was Marlboro.

Finally, the Commission would underline the fact that Antwerp is one of the biggest ports handling
consignments of cigarettes in the world.

In view of the size of the figures produced to answer more specific questions linked to cigarettes exports,
the Commission is sending them direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat. These
figures obtained through databases may not be exhaustive and should not be interpreted as binding on the
Commission.

(2001/C 318 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3737/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(30 November 2000)

Subject: Television licences

1. Will the Commission state whether a licence, fee or tax is levied for the use of television in each
Member State, and also state what the current rate of such a levy is in each Member State, in both national
currency and in euro?

2.

Are there any exemptions in Member States for blind people?

Supplementary answer
given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2001)

In the year 2000, the following amounts were due yearly in the Member States by individuals

1.
owning colour television sets in their households:

Member States

National currency

A

B

D

DK

EL

E

FIN

F

IRL

I

L

P

NL

S

UK

2 900

7 656

339

1 894

(2)

(2)

982

751

70

176 000

(2)

(2)

(2)

1 644

104

(1) Average 2000 €/DKK = 7,453825.
(2) No amount due.
(3) Average 2000 €/SEK = 8,44634.
(4) Average 2000 €/GPB = 0,609542.

€

211

190

173

(1) 254

(2)

(2)

165

114

89

91

(2)

(2)

(2)

(3) 195

(4) 170