WRITTEN QUESTION E-2639/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Information on the euro.
Date: 2001-09-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU control, consumer protection, euro, price stability, public awareness campaign, publishing of prices

C 115 E/136

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

(2002/C 115 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2629/01

by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 September 2001)

Subject: Distribution of Spanish milk in France

Recent reports suggest that an agreement has been reached in France between industrial producers,
stockbreeders and the distribution sector to deny Spanish milk access to the national market.

This agreement appears to have been tacitly endorsed by the French government. Similar measures have
been taken in France in the past against other Spanish products, such as fruit and vegetables.

Should this information prove correct, what action will the Commission take?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 2001)

The Commission does not currently have at any concrete information to suggest that an agreement exists
between French milk producers and distributors to restrict the marketing of Spanish milk in France or to
give priority to sales of French milk.

Rather, the available statistics show that French imports of milk from Spain have increased very markedly
since 1998.

Imports into France of Spanish liquid milk in containers of more than two litres increased from 25 132
tonnes in 1998 to 94 589 tonnes in 2000. The quantity for the period from January to June 2000 was
23 087 tonnes and rose to 39 875 tonnes in the period from January to June 2001.

(2002/C 115 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2639/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 September 2001)

Subject: Information on the euro

The latest Eurobarometer survey on the euro reveals that 73 % of respondents are worried about the
introduction of the euro on 1 January 2002. The Commissioner responsible, Pedro Solbes also stressed
that a growing number of people are worried about the risk of price increases. In Greece, 84 % of
respondents believe that the use of the euro will make their lives more difficult and 75 % that it will lead to
their being exploited and cheated. Apart from providing information for the public, what measures has the
Commission taken to prevent profiteering? What mechanisms can the Member States use to monitor the
situation?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

In order to limit the risk of price increases on the occasion of the changeover to the euro, the Commission
has received the endorsement of the participating Member States for a four-pronged strategy it had
proposed to them:

9 promotion of dual display of prices: This is the simplest way for consumers to verify prices in a
monetary language they understand. Any discrepancies will thus be transparent and, as a result, the
market will be easily able to take appropriate action. Dual pricing is compulsory in Greece, Austria
and Portugal and will become compulsory in Belgium in December 2001. In the other Member States
it is becoming more widespread;

16.5.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/137

9 monitoring by the public authorities 9 where necessary, in cooperation with consumer associations 9
of compliance with the conversion and rounding rules: Deliberate mistakes will generally be referred
to the courts. In addition to any administrative or criminal penalties, ‘naming and shaming’ could act
as a useful deterrent;

9 encouragement

to enter into voluntary agreements to keep prices stable: The Commission has
sponsored at European level the signing of an agreement by trade organisations to ensure overall price
stability on the changeover to the euro. The common slogan is quite clear: new currency, stable prices;

9 Commission request that Member States round all public-sector charges in a manner that is neutral or

benefits taxpayers: They have all agreed to this request.

All in all, the changeover to the euro is thus expected in the short term to have only a marginal effect on
inflation. In the medium term it will help make for better control of prices by strengthening competition
through greater transparency and comparability of prices.

(2002/C 115 E/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2643/01

by Yasmine Boudjenah (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Geneva Convention on the status of refugees

(28 September 2001)

The Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 relating to the status of refugees, together with the New York
Protocol of 31 January 1967, are still the basic instruments for the international protection of refugees. In
its declaration of 28 July 2001, the European Union called on ‘all States that have not yet done so to ratify
the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol’.

What Member States have not yet ratified the 1951 Convention?

What measures does the Commission propose taking to encourage Member States which have not yet
done so to ratify the Convention?

The European Parliament has on many occasions called for an extension of the criteria for recognition of
the right of asylum in order to take account of developments in terms of new forms of persecution. Is the
Commission prepared to put forward proposals to this effect?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 2001)

All 15 Member States, as well as the 13 current applicant countries, have ratified both the 1951 Geneva
Convention and the 1967 New York Protocol. Among the members of the United Nations, and according
to information provided by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
there are 52 states that are not yet party to the Convention and Protocol (see annex A).

The Commission emphasizes the importance of all members of the United Nations (UN) ratifying the 1951
in order to create the strongest possible
Geneva Convention (and the 1967 New York Protocol)
international legal framework for providing protection to refugees. Within this context the Commission
fully supports every initiative to address the issue within the framework of several relevant international
fora, in particular the UNHCR’s Executive Committee as well as the so-called ‘Global Consultations’ (set up
by UNHCR, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Refugee Convention).

The Commission does not intend to put forward proposals on the ‘extension for recognition of the right of
asylum.’ However, what it has done has been to adopt on 12 September 2001 a proposal for a Council
Directive on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third country nationals and stateless
persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection (1).