WRITTEN QUESTION E-0615/02 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Discriminatory treatment of official languages.
Date: 2002-03-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, administration of the Institutions, linguistic discrimination, official language, use of languages

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/33

Apart from these legal requirements, the Commission has supported the development of self-regulatory
mechanisms by the international excipient industry. Several Good Manufacturing Practice codes have been
developed. The Commission intends to continue to encourage such self-regulatory mechanisms.

(1) OJ L 311, 28.11.2001, p. 67.
(2) COM(2001) 404 final.

(2002/C 309 E/037)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0615/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Discriminatory treatment of official languages

(5 March 2002)

Recent years, coinciding with the current Commission’s mandate, have seen an emerging imbalance in the
treatment of the various official languages in favour of English. In the specific case of the Commission, it is
not known whether the College of Commissioners has taken any decision favouring English above the
other languages.

This new predomination of one language runs counter to the spirit of political integration and harmonious
and balanced union among the peoples of Europe. At internal level it clearly places those Commission
officials who are not of Anglo-Saxon origin at a disadvantage. In certain services, someone (cid:1) it is not
known exactly who (cid:1) has decided to work solely in English.

Which Commission services work exclusively in English? Who approved this decision? On what legal
basis? What type of documents and materials has the Commission decided to have drawn up and
distributed exclusively in English?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2002)

The Commission has not taken any decision favouring English over the other official languages. Neither
the Commission nor the administrative hierarchy has given instructions that its departments should use
English exclusively to draft and distribute documents or materials. There is no department in which
English is used exclusively.

The Commission would draw attention to its policy in this respect:

(cid:1) documents intended for use outside the Commission are drawn up in the official languages of the
Community in the case of instruments of general application and in the languages of those to whom
they are addressed in other cases;

(cid:1) documents for internal use are drafted in the languages corresponding to the actual needs of the

Commission and its departments based on operational efficiency.

(2002/C 309 E/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0641/02

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: MEDA funding and transparency

(6 March 2002)

Article 8(c) of the amended MEDA Regulation (1) (No 2698/2000) requires the Commission, as part of the
policy to improve transparency and information, to publish he results of the invitations to tender,
including information on the number of received tenders, the date of the award of the contract, and the
name and the address of the successful tenderers, in the Official Journal of the European Communities and
on the Internet.