WRITTEN QUESTION P-2509/02 by Christopher Beazley (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Distribution of newspapers in Member States.
Date: 2002-09-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Ireland, United Kingdom, application of EU law, competition law, exclusive distribution agreement, free movement of goods, interpretation of the law, newspaper, restriction on competition, tax system

C 155 E/24

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.7.2003

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(25 October 2002)

To date, the Commission has not ‘used Tariq Ramadan as an adviser on cultural affairs’ as the Honourable
Member claims.

However, it did invite him to speak at a seminar on science and culture entitled ‘An ethical inspiration for
the European Union’, which it organised at Santiago de Compostela on 7/8 May 1997. Those attending the
seminar appreciated Professor Ramadan’s humanist and open approach and his ambition to promote the
integration of young Muslims into the countries of the European Union in which they were born. That is
why the Commission invited him to speak again, this time at the Conference on Intercultural Dialogue
held in Brussels on 20/21 March 2002.

The European Union is founded on the principles of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights
and on the fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, which are common to all the Member
States, subject to the restrictions enshrined in law.

The Commission chooses the experts it wishes to consult on cultural affairs within that framework and on
the basis of an in-depth analysis. In general, it intends to continue doing so because it is convinced that
diversity of opinion is a key element in the lucid diagnosis that must underlie any action taken in the
common interest of the European Union and the Member States.

(2003/C 155 E/024)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2509/02

by Christopher Beazley (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Distribution of newspapers in Member States

(3 September 2002)

Is the Commission aware that, in order to be supplied with UK national newspaper titles, newsagents in
the Republic of Ireland have to pay a surcharge (carriage service charge) to the relevant wholesaler, but do
not pay such a surcharge in respect of certain Irish national newspaper titles?

Is the Commission further aware that the requirement to pay a surcharge is made possible because there is
a system of exclusive distribution that applies to some newspaper titles, so that newsagents have no
alternative source of supply?

Does the Commission consider that this situation is in conformity with the principles of the Single Market?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2002)

The Commission is aware of the existence of distribution systems for newspapers, including the practice of
in the Member States, in particular in the United Kingdom (1), but it has no specific
carriage charges,
information on the current functioning of this system in Ireland.

Exclusive distribution systems as referred to by the Honourable Member, if based on agreements between
publishers, wholesalers and newsagents, may be relevant under Community competition rules, as laid
down in Article 81 of the EC Treaty and, in particular, Block Exemption Regulation (EC) No 2790/1999 (2)
in conjunction with the Guidelines on vertical restraints (3) rather than the market freedom provisions of
the EC Treaty which mainly target State regulation.

The situation described in the written question has not been the subject of a notification or a complaint to
the Commission with regard to Community competition rules. Nor has the Commission currently any
evidence that the differences in the wholesale price for Irish and British newspapers in Ireland are the
consequence of behaviour incompatible with the above Block Exemption Regulation or Guidelines or are

3.7.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 155 E/25

It should also be noted that carriage charges
otherwise contrary to Community competition rules.
specifically foreseen for printed products imported from the United Kingdom may be designed to cover
additional transport and distribution costs incurred by the wholesaler.

The Commission, which is following closely the evolution of cross-border pricing for newspapers and
magazines within the Union in the light of Community competition rules, will establish contact with the
Irish and UK competition authorities with a view to further assessing the matter.

(1) See review by the OFT, http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press+releases/2002/pn+02-02.htm.
(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2790/1999 of 22 December 1999 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty

to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices (cid:1) OJ L 336, 29.12.1999.

(3) Commission Notice (cid:1) Guidelines on vertical restraints (cid:1) OJ C 291, 13.10.2000.

(2003/C 155 E/025)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2519/02

by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission

(4 September 2002)

Subject: Exclusion of public expenditure from the budget deficit

On 28 August Agence Europe published a report entitled ‘Commission does not intend to modify Stability
Pact rules and takes note of Italy’s suggestions’, which states that:

(cid:1) Commissioner Pedro Solbes was receptive to the Italian Government’s arguments, according to which
investments should not be included in calculation of the budget if the resulting financial advantages
are greater than the investment costs;

(cid:1) Germany and Austria already pursue this policy and the Italian Minister proposed that Italy should do

likewise.

Can the Commission say what steps Germany and Austria are taking in this connection?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2002)

The Commission is aware of the suggestions according to which investment should not be included in the
calculation of
for internal purposes, national rules
concerning the role of investment or of capital expenditure with respect to the balance: for instance in
Germany and in the United Kingdom, while this is not the case in Austria.

the budget balance. Some Member States have,

However, it is important to stress that the rules applied by the Commission in the context of the fiscal
surveillance at Community level are those foreseen by the EC Treaty and the Stability Pact. These rules
foresee that the ratios of the government deficit and of the government debt to gross domestic product
will be used as criteria for the examination of Member States’ compliance with budgetary discipline. In the
Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the EC Treaty the deficit is defined as the net
borrowing of the general government, in accordance with the European System of Integrated Economic
Accounts (ESA 95). This embraces all items of public expenditure, including public investment. In this
context, all Member States strictly follow the rules of the EC Treaty.