WRITTEN QUESTION P-1666/02 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Ban on concluding public contracts with media companies.
Date: 2002-06-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, Greece, competition law, national law, service concession

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/207

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2002)

the follow-up to its Communication ‘Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with
As part of
disabilities’ (1), the Commission can confirm that it plans to set up a working group to identify appropriate
initiatives to improve access to the built environment for people with disabilities. The composition and
working methods of this group are still under discussion. However, the group’s work should begin this
year so that it can be completed during the European Year of People with Disabilities, in 2003. Parliament
will of course be kept informed of the progress of this work.

The relevant Commission departments will be taking part in this working group. Representatives of
associations of disabled people, the relevant industry sectors and experts concerned with this issue will also
be closely involved in this review.

(1) COM(2000) 284 final.

(2002/C 301 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1666/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 June 2002)

Subject: Ban on concluding public contracts with media companies

A new law adopted by the Greek Parliament prohibits the conclusion of public contracts with natural or
legal persons who are primary shareholders in media companies. The same law defines a primary
shareholder as anyone holding as little as 5 % of the total share capital of a media company.

Given the difficulty of identifying ‘primary shareholders’ at both Community and international level, will
the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether the new law is consistent with Community law and to what extent it infringes the principle
of equality as a general principle of law in view of the fact that it will not be possible to scrutinise
either companies with registered offices in a Member State or off-shore companies as opposed to
domestic companies,

(cid:1) whether the Member States are required to cooperate with the corresponding national authorities in
identifying primary shareholders (provide information, carry out inquiries, etc), especially when no
corresponding scrutiny is provided for in their national legislation,

(cid:1) whether any delay in carrying out checks on Community companies constitutes an infringement of
the principle of equality and discrimination against them in relation to domestic companies, and to
what extent it is practicable and legally valid to preclude Community companies from concluding
public contracts if it is impossible to scrutinise them effectively?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2002)

The Commission does not have a copy of the text of the Greek law referred to by the Honourable
Member, given that the law in question has just been adopted by the Greek Parliament. The Commission
is, therefore, unable to comment on this matter at this time, but does intend to inform the Honourable
Member of its conclusions once it has conducted the necessary investigations into the problem raised.