WRITTEN QUESTION E-2615/02 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU-wide rules to restrict alcohol consumption on the basis of age, time and location.
Date: 2002-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU policy, alcohol, alcoholism, health policy, marketing restriction, public health, social cost, young person

C 52 E/190

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2002)

The Commission is aware of the potential for distortion of competition between salaried drivers and self-
employed drivers introduced by the application of the provisions of the sectoral Directive 2002/15/EC of
the Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 on the organisation of the working time of persons
performing mobile road transport activities, to the former group in 2005 and to the latter group in 2009.
However, this was the result of a difficult conciliation process between Council and Parliament that the
Commission accepts and respects.

Both categories of drivers are already subject to Community rules on driving time and rest periods
(Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 of 20 December 1985 on the harmonisation of certain social
legislation relating to road transport (1) and fatigue caused by excessive working time does not distinguish
between employed and self-employed drivers.

At this stage, the Commission recognises the strongly diverging views amongst both Member States and
the industry on this Directive and the difficulty in achieving a compromise. Furthermore, it wishes to
remind the honourable Member that its original proposal (2) aimed at applying common working time
rules for all drivers. The Commission will examine the impact of implementation on the sector prior to
drawing up the report on the inclusion or otherwise of self-employed drivers within working time, but will
not prejudge the outcome, at this stage

(1) OJ L 370, 31.12.1985.
(2) OJ C 43, 17.2.1999.

(2003/C 52 E/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2615/02

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: EU-wide rules to restrict alcohol consumption on the basis of age, time and location

Every year, alcohol-related problems cost the State enormous sums of money which are spent on
prevention campaigns or on drying-out facilities for alcoholics.

Every year, excessive consumption of alcohol results in people from every age group and every country
suffering problems ranging from inattention and migraines to involvement in fatal road accidents. Apart
from people who must, unfortunately, be classified as ‘addicts’, it is, above all, young people who suffer
most from the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. The reasons for this phenomenon are
surely psychological. Nevertheless, easy access to alcohol at an early age and on virtually every street
corner at any time of day prompts, if not actually encourages, alcohol consumption.

By means of draft legislation which has been forwarded to the Slovak Parliament for adoption, the
Government of Slovakia, an applicant country, is now currently trying to use the law to cut down the high
per capita consumption of alcohol among its citizens. The bill now sets the minimum age for the legal
acquisition of alcohol at 18. Furthermore, the sale of alcoholic products will be totally prohibited after a
specific time as well as in venues devoted to educational, health and sporting activities.

Given the problems outlined above, would it not be desirable to introduce Europe-wide rules which restrict
the sale of alcoholic products on the basis of time, place and age?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2002)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that alcohol-related harm is a serious public health
problem causing very high social costs. The protection of young people is to be considered as a priority in
this context.

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/191

Restricting access to alcohol, especially for children and young people, is one of the measures in alcohol
policy, which can help to prevent the problems due to the inappropriate consumption of alcohol.

There is, however, no legislation at Community level regulating the minimum legal age for the purchase of
alcohol or other restrictions on access to the product.

In June 2001, the Council adopted a Recommendation on the drinking of alcohol by young people, in
particular children and adolescents (1), which encourages the Member States to increase their health
promotion efforts, with a specific emphasis on settings such as schools, youth organisations and sporting
organisations.

The Recommendation also proposes that Member States ensure that existing regulations regarding the
illegal sale of alcohol to under-age consumers are enforced.

There are no plans to introduce Community legislation to restrict the sale of alcohol to specific groups or
at specific locations. The Commission is, however, urging the producers of alcoholic beverages to make
sure that self-regulation regarding the promotion and the sale of alcohol is further developed and enforced.

The Council Conclusions of June 2001 on a Community Strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm will offer
opportunities to discuss all aspects of alcohol policy, including the issue of restricting access.

(1) OJ L 161, 16.6.2001.

(2003/C 52 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2623/02

by Markus Ferber (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: Transposition of the new Postal Services Directive 2002/39/EC by the candidate countries

This Spring, the new European Parliament and Council directive 2002/39/EC (1), amending Directive 97/
67/EC (2) with regard to the further opening to competition of Community postal services, was adopted.
The Member States must transpose this new Directive into national law by 31 December 2003.

Does the Commission propose to set separate deadlines for the candidate countries for the liberalisation of
their postal markets, or is it intended that the new Postal Services Directive should already have been
transposed by the candidate countries at the time of accession?

Will the EU competition rules also have to be transposed by the candidate countries by the time of their
accession?

(1) OJ L 176, 5.7.2002, p. 21.
(2) OJ L 15, 21.1.1998, p. 14.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2002)

As any other piece of the ‘acquis communautaire’, candidate countries will be required to have transposed
the new Directive 2002/39/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 amending Directive
97/67/EC with regard to the further opening to competition of Community postal services, by the date of
their accession to the Union, unless the Accession Treaties would include, in due time, specific transitional
arrangements.

As far as the competition rules are concerned, the Central and East European countries have the obligation
under the Association Agreements to ensure already now that the substantive antitrust and state aid rules
of the ‘acquis’ are respected.