WRITTEN QUESTION E-3313/01 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Aids to encourage wine consumption in the EU.
Date: 2001-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU production, Spain, sales promotion, single market, third country, wine

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/95

(2002/C 160 E/125)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3312/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Publicisation of the EU’s positions to the world

(28 November 2001)

The Al Jazira satellite TV channel, based in the small emirate of Qatar, has achieved the feat of dislodging
CNN as the main reference medium in the Arab world, and has become the window through which large
parts of the world are following the events in Afghanistan.

The satellite TV market is now dominated by these two channels, at this present crucial moment in
history. As a result, many Europeans are now asking why there is no European satellite TV channel
capable of competing with CNN and Al Jazira and broadcasting the voice of Europe worldwide.

Does the Commission believe that it should participate, in whatever manner it considers desirable, in the
promotion of a European satellite TV channel, so as to contribute to the creation of a genuine voice of
Europe towards the outside world, rather than allowing Europe to remain a mere spectator of global
events?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(13 February 2002)

The Commission already operates a satellite TV channel on behalf of all the Union institutions / Europe
by Satellite (EbS) / providing picture material to broadcasters and TV news agencies.

It’s transmitted on a ‘footprint’ covering the European continental landmass, and available on the internet:

/ The European Union on Internet: http://europa.eu.int

/ The Audiovisual Library on Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/mediatheque

/ Europe by Satellite on Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/ebs

/ The Press Room on Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/press_room

EbS cannot, however, be truly regarded as a potential competitor to CNN and Al Jazira for two reasons.
Firstly, the Commission does not take an editorial line in the broadcasts of EbS, it simply transmits events
and picture material from the different Union institutions. Secondly, the multi-lingual character of the
Union must be taken into consideration; CNN is in English only, Al Jazirah in Arab, whilst EbS is required
to respect the linguistic practices of the European institutions, transmitting in all eleven languages when
available.

As the Honourable Member may be aware, there is one satellite channel in Europe that broadcasts directly
to the public in several languages / Euronews, which is based in France. From its inception, this pan-
European initiative has been supported,
financially and politically, by both the Parliament and the
Commission. A contract assuring full but editorially independent coverage of Union affairs was signed in
November 2001 between Euronews and the Commision with the full association of the Parliament.

(2002/C 160 E/126)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3313/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Aids to encourage wine consumption in the EU

(28 November 2001)

The Spanish wine-producing sector is currently in difficult circumstances as regards surpluses and low
prices. As the present season begins, producers are faced with ‘lakes’ of excess wine: the volume of table
wine now being stored appears to be in excess of 10 m hl, thanks to which grape prices have fallen below
the minimum threshold.

C 160 E/96

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

initiatives aimed at
The producers’ association has therefore asked for authorisation for commercial
increasing external sales opportunities and undertaking promotion campaigns on the international market.

Can the Commission state whether,
in line with its actions on other occasions for other agricultural
products, it is willing to finance a campaign to promote wine consumption on both internal and external
markets, so as to enable the Spanish wine-producing sector to overcome its present difficult circumstances?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2002)

The Commission has just adopted a decision approving the programmes to promote agricultural products
in non-member countries. The 18 programmes approved include two on Spanish wines with designations
of origin.

As regards promotion measures within the Community, the Commission will very shortly be submitting a
draft Regulation laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 of
19 December 2000 on information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the internal
market (1) to the joint meeting of the management committees on agricultural product promotion.

Annex III to that draft Regulation sets out the guidelines on promotion in the wine sector.

(1) OJ L 328, 23.12.2000.

(2002/C 160 E/127)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3317/01

by Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 November 2001)

Subject: Mestre loop road

According to recent reports in Il Sole-24 Ore (1), the Italian Government intends to award the franchise for
constructing and operating the Mestre Dolo-Quarto D’Altino loop road and the tunnel under the by-pass
direct to a consortium comprising Autostrade, Padova-Venezia and Autovie Veneto (the three companies
which already operate the motorways in the Venice area).

On the grounds that the Mestre Dolo-Quarto D’Altino loop road is to be regarded as an addition to an
existing motorway, such a step would enable an EU tender procedure to be avoided.

This would eliminate any possibility of an international project-financing tender based on the specifications
issued by the promoter / in this case a consortium led by Autostrada Brescia-Padova. It should be noted
that Italy’s state highway authority once before (in March 1999) directly awarded a franchise to Autostrade
SpA. This prompted intervention by the Commission, which halted the administrative proceedings by
means of an as-yet unfinished infringement procedure and which pointed out that the project could not be
exempted from the tender procedure since it constituted a new stretch of motorway.

Does the Commission not think that directly awarding a franchise for the construction of the Mestre Dolo-
Quarto D’Altino loop road would infringe EU laws on public procurement, such as Directive 92/50/EEC (2),
Directive 93/36/EEC (3) and Directive 93/37/EEC (4)?

(1) Sole-24 Ore, 17 October 2001: ‘No EU tender for Mestre loop road’; 25 October 2001: ‘Preparatory work begins

on Mestre loop road construction site’.

(2) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 199, 9.8.1993, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 199, 9.8.1993, p. 54.