WRITTEN QUESTION E-2409/01 by Imelda Read (PSE) to the Commission. Single Market in Pharmaceuticals.
Date: 2001-08-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: free movement of goods, intellectual property, market approval, pharmaceutical legislation, pharmaceutical product, single market

C 81 E/172

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

(2002/C 81 E/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2409/01

by Imelda Read (PSE) to the Commission

(21 August 2001)

Subject: Single Market in Pharmaceuticals

In April 1999 the European Parliament adopted its resolution on the Communication from the
In its resolution the European Parliament
Commission on the Single Market
expressed its belief that it is vital to complete the internal market in pharmaceuticals and asked the
Commission when making its proposals, to include a time-frame for evaluation of progress in achieving
the single market.

in Pharmaceuticals (1).

Can the Commission specify what action it proposes to take and when it will be putting forward
proposals?

(1) COM(98) 0588.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2001)

Significant progress has been made in improving the operation of the single market in pharmaceutical
products with respect to the following three strategic areas:

(cid:129) the development of a European procedure for marketing authorisations,

(cid:129) the development of high levels of protection for intellectual property and

(cid:129) the development of the pharmaceutical market itself.

As regards marketing authorisations, the EU will in future have a centralised system which, whilst ensuring
safety and public confidence, will also enable a time to market that can be described as certainly the
shortest in the world.

Nevertheless, it is always possible to improve the system. This is why, as planned, the Commission carried
out a detailed assessment of the operation of the system in the course of 2000 in order to specify new
procedures which would make it even more efficient. Following this assessment, a draft revision of the
pharmaceutical legislation was finalised, and this will shortly be sent to Parliament and the Council. This is
of prime importance as a contribution to further improving public health in the EU.

As regards intellectual property, the proposed reform of pharmaceutical legislation provides for a system
which both encourages the production of new medicines and stimulates competitiveness,
through
provisions which promote the development of generic products. These measures are supplemented by the
legislation agreed by the Community institutions in 1998, which had already introduced the possibility of
patenting innovations in the field of biotechnology (cid:129) the key field par excellence for this sector.

These important proposals have recently been followed up with the creation of a high-level group on
innovation and the supply of medicines, more commonly called (cid:145)G10(cid:146). This group is composed of the
Member of the Commission responsible for enterprise policy and the Member responsible for health and
consumer protection, together with health ministers and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry,
patient associations and social security bodies.

This group is charged with eliciting proposals which encourage innovation and competitiveness whilst
ensuring a high level of public health.

The final report will be structured around the following three issues:

(cid:129) the supply of medicines for patients,

(cid:129) the single market, competitiveness, regulation and

(cid:129) innovation.

4.4.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/173

This report will be presented in April 2002.

Following the second G10 meeting on 26 September 2001, it was decided, in the interests of transparency,
to launch an extensive consultation exercise. This will be concluded on 23 November 2001. The
consultation document and all documents relating to the (cid:145)G10 Medicines(cid:146) are available at the following
website: http://pharmacos.eudra.org, under the heading (cid:145)G10(cid:146).

(2002/C 81 E/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2416/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(5 September 2001)

Subject: Single-room supplement

It has long been customary for holiday operators to charge a (cid:145)single-room supplement(cid:146), whereby people
travelling on their own have to pay an extra sum of money in order to have a room to themselves.

Although the initial reason was that it enabled holiday establishments to recoup the cost of a single
traveller staying in a double room, it is nowadays frequently the case that single travellers are being
charged a supplement to stay in a single room.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion on this unfair supplement, particularly when the traveller is, in any
case, staying in accommodation designed for one person (i.e. a single room)?

Does it have any plans to review this matter with a view to having this charge abolished?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(18 October 2001)

The way in which hotel rooms may be charged for varies from country to country (cid:129) for instance, the
price may be on a per capita occupancy basis or on a room basis. The Commission is, of course, aware
that it is customary for hotels to make an additional charge for single room occupancy.

However, the Commission has no competence in this issue. It is therefore a matter for the Member State
and the company concerned.

(2002/C 81 E/203)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2427/01

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(3 September 2001)

Subject: Action to combat paedophilia

On 26 August of this year, two Internet sites were discovered which contain a photographic archive
comprising over 400 images of 23 new-born babies who have been raped and tortured whilst lying in
their cots or in baby baths, surrounded by feeding bottles and nappies. The week before, another site was
discovered with images of the corpses of little children who had been subjected to vivisection, ripped apart
and cut up like animals. After the sites had been discovered the judicial authorities were alerted.

What action is the Commission planning to take in response to this outrage? Does it intend to set up a
European Authority against on-line paedophilia which, amongst other things, will enable websites to be
monitored on a continuous basis?