WRITTEN QUESTION P-1664/01 by Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Asymmetries in the internal electricity market.
Date: 2001-06-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: application of EU law, competition policy, electrical industry, liberalisation of the market, market, public sector, restriction on competition, shareholding, single market

C 364 E/172

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

During the present trial the Union registered its concern that the defence should have proper access to
documentary evidence and that the proceedings should follow due legal process. Union observers have
attended the trial throughout and they, together with many others, were disturbed at the manner, the
timing, and the severity of the sentences on all the accused, and especially on Dr Ibrahim. The Union made
an oral statement (23 May 2001) and the Union presidency issued a declaration (25 May 2001) to the
effect that the Union was (cid:145)deeply disturbed by the harsh sentences handed down by the Egyptian Supreme
State Security Court(cid:146)
(this declaration is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s
Secretariat).

The Court is obliged to explain the reasons for its verdict within 30 days of sentence and the convicted
have limited rights of appeal on procedural grounds. It goes without saying that the next steps in this affair
will be closely studied in the hope and expectation that the situation will be resolved in the best traditions
of the Egyptian legal system.

(2001/C 364 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1664/01

by Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Asymmetries in the internal electricity market

(1 June 2001)

The failure to ensure uniform transposition of Community directives which are designed to liberalise
public utilities is creating serious distortions within the internal market.

In the energy sector in particular, France has found ways of preserving essentially intact the role of
ElectricitØ de France (EDF), a state-owned monopoly in the electricity sector.

EDF is taking advantage of its dominant position on the French market (which it is guaranteed under
national law) in order to acquire significant holdings in private companies operating within the same
sector in other Member States. It has recently announced that it is to acquire 3,9 % of Montedison Spa, an
Italian multi-utilities company which is also active in the electricity sector.

Such a state of affairs is unacceptable since the failure to establish a level playing field as required under
Community law places the sector(cid:146)s operators in different positions according to their Member State of
origin and causes serious discrimination against operators from Member States which are more progressive
in terms of liberalisation.

This situation also thwarts the liberalisation process initiated by the Community and discourages the
Member States from actively pursuing such an objective. This will have an increasingly serious effect on
the competitiveness of the European economic system.

In view of the above, what action is the Commission intending to take in order to prevent public
companies which enjoy a monopoly status guaranteed under national law from exploiting that privilege in
order to seize control of other businesses which are now denied such a privilege?

(2001/C 364 E/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1688/01

by Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: Purchase by ElectricitØ de France (EDF) of a 20 % holding in Montedison

On 24 May 2001 ElectricitØ de France (EDF), the French energy company, officially took up a 20 % stake
in Montedison, the holding company which controls Edison-Sondel, an Italian private energy company
(electricity and gas).