WRITTEN QUESTION P-2227/01 by Herman Schmid (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Economic resources of the European political parties.
Date: 2001-07-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, European Union, budget, financial control, own resources, political parties

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/249

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(5 September 2001)

Article 7 of Directive 2001/37/EC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products (1)
states that with effect from 30 September 2003 and without prejudice to Article 5 (1) of the same
Directive, texts, names, trademarks and figurative or other signs suggesting that a particular tobacco
product is less harmful than others shall not be used on the packaging of tobacco products. There is no
distinction made between tobacco products imported into, exported from or manufactured in the
Community. There is a reference in Recital 27 to the justification for this measure and to the development
of international rules, a reference to the draft World Health Organisation framework Convention on
Tobacco Control, in the negotiation of which the Community and its Member States are presently engaged.

(1) OJ L 194, 18.7.2001.

(2001/C 364 E/275)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2227/01

by Herman Schmid (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Economic resources of the European political parties

(18 July 2001)

At the June part-session I put an oral Question about the economic relations of the European political
parties (H-0460/01) (1) and received an answer from the Commission on 13 June which was incomplete
and unsatisfactory.

The background to my Question was that the new concept of (cid:145)European political parties(cid:146)
is hard to
translate into practical reality because it has to be distinguished from (cid:145)national political parties(cid:146), while at
the same time being something different from the political groups in the European Parliament which are
to a varying extent already functioning as European political parties. Is it possible to imagine any other
sphere of activity for the European political parties than the political territories of the Member States?

Your reply failed to answer the main point of my Question.

I therefore have no choice but to return to the matter and to ask:

(cid:129) What does the term (cid:145)own resources(cid:146) in the Commission(cid:146)s answer mean? Could these, for example,
come from the funds of national parties? Will the European parties be permitted to accept large-scale
financial support from national parties?

(cid:129) Will it be permissible for a part of the remaining 75 % to come from the national parties (should the

Commission be unable to pay the full amount)?

(cid:129) I understand that rigorous financial controls will be carried out, but for that very reason I should like
to know what rules apply. Are the European parties to be permitted to use their resources for
activities in the Member States, or will the new regulations rule that out?

(1) Written answer of 13 June 2001.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(3 August 2001)

The Commission tabled its original proposal on 13 February 2001 and, following Parliament(cid:146)s Opinion
given on 17 May 2001, tabled a revised proposal on taking up some of Parliament(cid:146)s amendments.

C 364 E/250

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

The proposal is currently pending before Council, where unanimity is required. No final decision can be
expected before October 2001.

The Commission proposal lays down that parties must cover at least 25 % of their budgets from own
resources, that is to say from any resources other than the Community Budget. This own resources
component could be covered by contributions or subscriptions from national member parties or from
individuals or organisations.

The total amount that a party can receive from the Community Budget will depend on the resources made
available by the budgetary authority and the application of
in
Article 7(a) and 7(b) of the draft Regulation. It is conceivable that this amount might represent less than
75 % of a party(cid:146)s total budget.

the distribution provisions set out

Control of financing under this regulation shall be exercised in accordance with the Financial Regulation
and its implementing rules and also on the basis of an annual certification by an external independent
audit.

European political parties may not contribute financially to purely national political activities with
resources from the Community Budget.

(2001/C 364 E/276)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2231/01

by Hans Kronberger (NI) to the Commission

(18 July 2001)

Subject: Liberalisation of shop-opening hours

In its economic policy guidelines, the Commission called on Austria to further liberalise shop-opening
hours. At present, Austria(cid:146)s 66-hour per week limit is indeed the lowest in any Member State, and this is
having adverse effects not only on purchasing power, tourism and the country(cid:146)s attractiveness as a business
location, but also in terms of employment in the distributive trades and creating jobs in related sectors.
Border areas are particularly badly affected. In addition, petrol stations are increasingly selling food and
thus distorting the market. A government agreement extending shop-opening hours to 72 hours per week
has been signed by the government but has not yet been implemented.

What steps does the Commission propose to take to prevent distortion of competition owing to shop-
opening hours being liberalised to different extents?

Will it take action in respect of those Member States which fail to liberalise in good time? If so, what
action will it take?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(5 September 2001)

The Commission is aware of the difficulties raised by differences in the national
legislation on shop-
opening hours. It should be remembered that, although this is a matter for the Member States, they must
deal with it in compliance with Community law. The problem of shop-opening hours has, moreover, given
rise to case law on the part of the Court of Justice. It is clear from that case law that the Court has refused
to declare incompatible with Article 28 (ex Article 30) of the EC Treaty national rules on shop-closing
arrangements (1), but that is not the case as far as the compatibility of such measures with Article 49
(ex Article 59) of the EC Treaty on the freedom to provide services is concerned. Moreover, the Court has
recognised the applicability of Article 43 (ex Article 52) of the EC Treaty on the freedom of establishment
to regulations on the closure of retail outlets on Sundays and public holidays, although it felt that, in this