WRITTEN QUESTION P-3473/01 by Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Information broadcast on EuroNews.
Date: 2001-12-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European television, Spain, autonomous movement, freedom of the press, fund (EU), press, television, terrorism

C 147 E/184

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

(2002/C 147 E/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3473/01

by Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 December 2001)

Subject: Information broadcast on EuroNews

It appears that even now the EuroNews television news channel is continuing to refer to the terrorist
group ETA as a ‘separatist organisation’ in its bulletins.

In the Commission’s view,
principles and aims, especially as regards the defence of freedom and respect for human rights?

is such a description compatible with the European Union’s fundamental

Given that the EuroNews channel receives funding from the EU budget, does the Commission not believe
that the Community institutions have a duty to guard against cases where the terms employed by
EuroNews to describe a terrorist group might be construed as implicitly condoning terrorism, and that
such an approach would in no way detract from the full respect for the freedom of thought and expression
of EuroNews journalists?

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-3466/01 and P-3473/01
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 2002)

The Commission fully shares the concern expressed by the Honourable Members about the fact that
EuroNews has referred in its bulletins to the terrorist group ETA as a ‘separatist organisation’.

Whilst it is true that EuroNews receives funding from the Community budget, the Convention that was
signed by both EuroNews and the Commission 1 with the full support of the Parliament 1 only relates to
the co-production of a series of information programmes about the Union. As in the case of all other
media companies, the Commission respects the full editorial freedom of Euronews.

The Commission, however, at its next meeting with EuroNews 1 in which the Parliament will, as usual,
also participate 1 will draw their attention on the points raised in this question.

The Commission expresses once more its commitment against terrorism, including ETA, as symbolised by
President Prodi’s presence in public events in solidarity of the victims of terrorism and by numerous public
statements.

(2002/C 147 E/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3472/01

by Dorette Corbey (PSE)
and Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 January 2002)

Subject: Interpretation of Directive 98/44

The basic aim of Directive 98/44/EC (1) is to clarify the distinction between what may and what may not
be patented in the field of biotechnological inventions. However, the directive itself is unclear in some
respects, particularly Articles 4, 5 and 6. In one of its resolutions, the European Parliament recently
objected to the patenting of the breast cancer genes BCRA1 and BCRA2. Thus Parliament has made it clear
that it objects to excessively broad patent definitions.

Directive 98/44 is currently being transposed in the Member States. Four Member States have already
completed the process. In the Netherlands, there is a difference of opinion between the government and
parliament about the implementation of the directive.