WRITTEN QUESTION P-0693/02 by Roberto Bigliardo (UEN) to the Commission. Telecom Italia subscriber fee.
Date: 2002-03-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, competition law, consumer protection, regulation of telecommunications, telecommunications industry

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/193

The preferences in the agreement were negotiated in line with the principles of the Barcelona Declaration,
which provides for trade in agricultural products between the Commmunity and the Mediterranean
countries to be gradually liberalised by means of preferential reciprocal access agreed on the basis of the
traditional trade flows. This means that the concessions are negotiated with reference to existing trade
patterns. Algeria accordingly granted import preferences for products of which it is in shortfall, notably
milk products, cereals, meat, sugar and oils. The Community did the same for the products traditionally
imported, notably fruits and vegetables. It should also be stressed however that Algeria has granted import
concessions on certain fruits and vegetables.

A general point to be borne in mind is the modest level of Community imports of agricultural products
originating in Algeria.

The liberalisation covered by the agreement is therefore applied on both sides and both parties draw
advantages from it.

As the Honourable Member himself indicates, the association agreement has also to be seen in the context
of support for Algerian development and the democratic process. If it is to have the effect intended its
economic (agricultural etc.) provisions must not be unbalanced but reflect the export possibilities actually
open to Algeria and its import requirements.

(2002/C 205 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0693/02

by Roberto Bigliardo (UEN) to the Commission

(5 March 2002)

Subject: Telecom Italia subscriber fee

Telecommunications operators in Italy are no longer functioning in monopoly conditions, and Telecom
Italia should therefore logically have abolished its user subscriber fee in 2001. Does the Commission have
an opinion on the real reasons why Italian users are still being burdened with this fee?

Reply given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 2002)

The rental fee (‘canone’) covers maintenance costs for the copper pair between the telephone exchange and
the subscriber. It is intended to pay for a service provided by Telecom Italia and is just as justified in a
competitive situation as in the era of monopolies.

To this end, Article 17(2) of the European Parliament and Council Directive 98/10/EC of 26 February
1998 on the application of open network provision (ONP) to voice telephony and on universal service for
telecommunications in a competitive environment (1) provides that tariffs for use of the fixed public
telephone network and fixed public telephone services must follow the basic principles of cost orientation.
National regulatory authorities must ensure that organisations providing voice telephony services which
have significant market power act in accordance with this principle. The relevant regulatory authority in
Italy is the authority for the guarantee of telecommunications (AGCOM).

Furthermore, Article 4c of Commission Directive 90/388/EEC of 28 June 1990 on competition in the
markets for telecommunications services (2), as amended, requires that Member States to allow these
organisations to align telephone tariffs on real costs. The purpose of this is to stop prices being held below
costs in some markets. The existence of retail prices that are lower than access charges to the unbundled
local loop stifles the demand for new entrants and hinders the emergence of real competition at the local
level.

C 205 E/194

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

Consequently, in accordance with the applicable Community law, the former monopolies must be able to
charge their customers a rental
fee (‘canone’) that generates sufficient income to cover the cost of
providing the access service to their subscribers. The Commission has taken action against several Member
States that had restricted the freedom of incumbent operators to align their rental fees on real costs.

In the case of Italy,
it should be remembered that a price-capping system is applied by AGCOM to
Telecom Italia’s tariffs. So whenever Telecom Italia increases rental fees, it must lower other prices to
remain inside the ceiling imposed by AGCOM. For the average consumer, then, this is a neutral-impact
operation.

(1) OJ L 101, 1.4.1998.
(2) OJ L 192, 24.7.1990.

(2002/C 205 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0694/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 March 2002)

Subject: Delays in development of organic farming in Greece

Data published by the Greek Organisation for the Certification of Organic Produce reveal that Greece
produces the smallest quantity of organic produce of all the Member States.

The same organisation also notes that the Ministry for Agriculture has not yet taken the necessary
measures to implement the EU Regulation on organic stock farming two years after it was adopted.

In its answer to my question E-3998/00 (1), the Commission did not consider the delays in the Greek
organic farming programme under Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 (2) to be significant.

1. What percentage of the total area under cultivation is organically farmed in each Member State?

How much funding does Greece receive from the Community budget for organic farming and how

2.
much has it used?

3. What are the reasons for the lack of progress in Greece compared with other countries?

4. What particular problems are associated with the promotion of organic stock farming in Greece?

(1) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 103.
(2) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992, p. 85.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 April 2002)

According to the Commission’s consolidated data for 1999, 2,6 % of the Union’s utilised agricultural

1.
area is either used for or being converted to organic farming.