WRITTEN QUESTION E-2396/02 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Cooperation with Iranian authorities in fight against drug trafficking.
Date: 2002-08-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, Iran, competence of the Member States, cooperation policy, drug traffic, dual-use good, export restriction, fight against crime, new technology, optical industry

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/61

However, American experience is this area should serve as a warning as to what might happen in Europe.
According to a recent study in the United States, direct advertising misleads consumers, generates large-
scale use of expensive new products and doubles inflation for expenditure on medicines. An identical
phenomenon has occurred in New Zealand,
the only other country to authorise direct consumer
advertising.

Under these circumstances, does the Commission not consider that, in authorising direct advertising, it is
opening the way for escalating costs and excessive use of medicines in Europe, as has happened in the
United States?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 September 2002)

Medicinal products are distinct from most other products, in so far as from a public health point of view
they should not be used as much as possible, but as little as necessary.

Consequently, the current legislation on advertising of medicinal products for human use provides in
Article 88 paragraph 1 of Directive 2001/83/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001
on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use (1) that Member States shall prohibit
the advertising to the general public of medicinal products, which are available on medical prescription
only.

The Commission’s proposals to amend the existing pharmaceutical legislation (2) does not touch upon this
strict ban of advertising of prescription-only medicines to the general public. The Commission is fully
aware of experiences with direct-to-consumer advertising in other countries and does not have the
intention to move into this direction.

The modifications that the Commission has proposed to Article 88 of Directive 2001/83/EC relate to
information and not to advertising. This distinction is important since information is meant to serve the
interest of the patients, whereas advertising shall promote the marketing of the product and serve the
interest of pharmaceutical industry.

The proposals foresee a pilot phase where the dissemination of certain information to the public on some
prescription-only medicines directly by the industry would be allowed under strict conditions. These
conditions require compliance with principles of good information practice and a control by the European
Medicines Evaluation Agency in London before the information is released to the public.

The focus of this proposal is exclusively the patients and their need for better information. This objective is
clearly reflected by the choice of three specific disease groups (diabetes, acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) and asthma) to which the Commission’s proposal is limited at present. All of them are
diseases which are long-term and chronic, where there is specific patient demand for information. Over
and above this, the patients suffering from these diseases are generally already taking specific medicines. So
the improved information will have a positive impact for the patient, but is not expected to increase or
create a need for these medicines.

(1) OJ L 311, 28.11.2001.
(2) OJ C 75 E, 26.3.2002.

(2003/C 192 E/059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2396/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(5 August 2002)

Subject: Cooperation with Iranian authorities in fight against drug trafficking

Iran is one of
the countries that drug traffickers use to transport hard drugs from countries like
Afghanistan and Pakistan to the European Union. The Iranian Drug Control Headquarters is central to the

C 192 E/62

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

fight against drug-running. This fight is being hindered by the refusal of the EU to provide the latest night-
sight technology to help in the interception of those illicitly crossing the border with drugs. Does the
European Commission consider that access to such technology poses a serious threat to EU security?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2002)

Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1334/2000 of 22 June 2000 setting up a Community regime for the
control of exports of dual-use items and technology (1) a licence is required for the exportation of civil
items that can also be used for military purposes. Articles 4 and 5 of the Regulation allow Member States
to impose a prior-authorisation requirement for the exportation of dual-use items not listed in the Annexes
to the Regulation as it stands or subsequent amended versions. Under Article 6, export authorisations must
be granted by the Member State in which the exporter is established.

Hi-tech night-sight glasses can indeed be classified as items incorporating technology that could be used
for military purposes. Accordingly, Regulation (EC) No 1334/2000 and subsequent amendments may be
applied to exports of these glasses. Under the Regulation, the Member States may forbid the glasses
referred to in the written question from being exported. Article 9 of
the Regulation provides for
consultation among the Member States in cases where one Member State has withheld authorisation to
export to a non-member country in a particular case. The Community does not issue licences itself and has
no power to decide whether any export bans imposed by the Member States are appropriate or not.

(1) OJ L 159, 30.6.2000.

(2003/C 192 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2447/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(29 August 2002)

Subject: Lone Worker protection

Is the Commission proposing any new legislation concerning the health and safety of Lone Workers?

If so, can it specify what it is planning to do?

If not, is it likely to consider proposing legislation on this subject at some point in the future?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 2002)

The Community health and safety of workers at work directives, more than 30, are applicable to lone
workers. Especially, Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to
encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (1), which contains general principles
concerning the prevention of occupational risks, the protection of safety and health, the elimination of risk
and accident factors, the information, consultation, balanced participation and training of workers and
their representatives. All of these principles are applicable to lone workers.

The same Directive points out, among the employers’ obligations, the need to produce a workplace risk
assessment and to develop a coherent prevention policy which covers technology, work organization,
working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors related to the working environment.
This enables the prevention policy to be tailored to workers’ health and safety needs, including those of
lone workers.