WRITTEN QUESTION E-2645/01 by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) to the Commission. Euro and consumers.
Date: 2001-09-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, consumer protection, euro, exchange rate, national currency, public awareness campaign, single monetary policy

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/71

Furthermore, the existence of quotas for mushrooms under WTO (1) arrangements since 1995, by keeping
imports at a steady level, has helped stabilise the sector and steered it towards greater quantitative and
qualitative control of the finished product, both upstream and downstream. The quotas are consolidated
within GATT (2) and comply in full with the provisions in force and the rules governing them.

China’s accession to the WTO cannot undermine the existence of these quotas or the arrangements
governing them.

It is the responsibility of the Member States’ customs authorities to see to it that Community law
concerning imports is properly applied.

(1) World Trade Organisation.
(2) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

(2002/C 134 E/073)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2645/01

by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 September 2001)

Subject: Euro and consumers

The euro will enter into use in 2002. The new currency will, as a result of its fixed exchange rate, lead to
adjustments in the prices of a wide range of goods and, above all, services. To avoid having to deal with
cents, which are no longer used in certain countries, prices will be rounded up. This will be to the
detriment of consumers and will lead to a rise in inflation. The Commission cannot afford to ignore this
fact.

Line B5-10 of the EU budget provides for activities to promote and protect consumer interests. Given that
one of the aims of this appropriation is to guarantee a high, uniform level of consumer protection, will the
Commission state what countermeasures will be taken to avoid such problems and what checks will be
made to discourage such practices?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 November 2001)

Two European Regulations (1) lay down the rules for conversion and rounding (2), and establish a principle
of continuity of contracts. Where the prices of goods and services are concerned, some businesses will be
forced to round their prices up or down in order to ensure that the new prices in euro retain their
psychological effect, or simply to adapt prices to market conditions, fluctuations in the costs of raw
materials, etc. Freedom of pricing and competition is the basic principle behind the Internal Market. The
notion of psychological pricing in euro, however, varies from sector to sector and from Member State to
Member State.

To enable consumers to benefit fully from competition and to promote value for money, the Commission
has focused upon education and information so that everyone can get a feel for the new prices in euro and
new scales of values. The Commission has also encouraged dialogue between consumers and the
distribution industry. One result of this dialogue has been the ‘Eurologo’ voluntary agreement, based on
good practice and a commitment to stable pricing during the changeover to the euro. This agreement has
been introduced at national level in most Member States in the euro zone.

By signing this agreement, representatives of European businesses have undertaken to make increasing use
of dual price displays as the changeover approaches, and to promote overall price stability during the last
few months of 2001 and the first few months of 2002, in order to maintain confidence levels and to make
it easier for consumers to find their bearings. Several major companies in the euro zone have already made
these commitments and most shops in the participating Member States are using dual pricing. This trend is
becoming more widespread as the deadline approaches.

C 134 E/72

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

Dual pricing allows consumers and, where appropriate, specialised national or regional control bodies to
check that there are no hidden price rises during the changeover to the euro. It was with this in mind that
the Commission also advocated the setting up of local observatories for monitoring the introduction of the
euro (Article 2 in particular of Recommendation 98/288/EC of 23 April 1998 (3)), something which has
been done in most euro zone Member States.

As far as education is concerned,
the Prince programme, cofinanced by the Parliament, provides
Community funding for information campaigns. Moreover, the Commission has this year set aside an
additional budget of 2 896 000 € under budget heading B5-10 to finance information campaigns and
consumer education (including the ‘Euro made easy’ scheme).

Member States and the Commission are also exchanging information on how to get used to the new scales
of values and, particularly, to the existence of cents.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1103/97 of 17 June 1997 on certain provisions relating to the introduction of the euro
(OJ L 162, 19.6.1997) and Council Regulation (EC) No 974/98 of 3 May 1998 on the introduction of the euro (OJ
L 139, 11.5.1998).

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1103/97 of 17 June 1997 B Article 5: Monetary amounts to be paid or accounted for
when a rounding takes place after a conversion into the euro unit pursuant to Article 4 shall be rounded up or
down to the nearest cent. Monetary amounts to be paid or accounted for which are converted into a national
currency unit shall be rounded up or down to the nearest sub-unit or in the absence of a sub-unit to the nearest
unit, or according to national law or practice to a multiple or fraction of the sub-unit or unit of the national
currency unit. If the application of the conversion rate gives a result which is exactly half-way, the sum shall be
rounded up.

(3) OJ L 130, 1.5.1998.

(2002/C 134 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2649/01

by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council

(3 October 2001)

Subject: Problems in Zimbabwe

At the recent Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa, participants devoted much attention to
the Western world’s legacy of responsibility for crimes against Africa.

Today in Zimbabwe,
expropriation policy.

thousands of white farmers are falling victim to President Mugabe’s racist

Did European Union representatives at the Durban conference discuss these problems, either formally or
informally?

If so, what conclusions were drawn?

Irrespective of the Durban conference, the situation in Zimbabwe remains very much a burning issue.
What pressure will the Council bring to bear and what means will it use to put a swift end to the ethnic
cleansing which is taking place there?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

EU representatives were very fully occupied at Durban with the very difficult discussion in the Conference
itself, as in any case, this Conference was not country specific. They did not discuss the problems related to
white farmers in Zimbabwe at the Conference against racism in Durban, South Africa.

The Council on 25 June expressed its concern about recent developments in Zimbabwe and referred to the
following areas where substantial progress should be noted over a period of two months: an end to
political violence and official encouragement to such violence, an invitation to the EU to support and