WRITTEN QUESTION E-2628/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Soaring prices of goods in Greece.
Date: 2002-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, consumer price, economic policy, income stabilisation, inflation, issue of securities, paper money, price increase, price index

C 161 E/30

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

In the Commission’s opinion, can parliamentary democracy still function properly in the Basque
3.
country (Euskadi, País Vasco) and Navarre regions if in May 2003 a party which at present holds a
majority of the seats on some municipal councils is excluded from participating in the elections and if in
June 2004 it does not have the opportunity to put forward candidates for election in order to remain
represented in the European Parliament?

4. Will the next European Parliamentary elections be legally valid if parties with genuine support among
the electorate are excluded by Member States from participating in them?

5. What can the Commission do to contribute to the complete preservation of the parliamentary
democracy which exists in Spain, including in the regions of Euskadi and Navarre, and to help guarantee
the right to participate of left-wing Basque nationalists in the next elections to the European Parliament?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2619/02
and E-2620/02 given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(21 November 2002)

The Commission would point out that the issues raised by the Honourable Member relating to political
movements in general and participation in general elections in a specific Member State are matters for the
Member States.

On the other hand, regarding the elections to the Parliament, both the existing Act of 1976 (1) and the
proposed Decision amending the Act (2) provide that the electoral procedure in the elections to the
Parliament shall be governed in each Member State by its national provisions. This concerns also rules and
conditions for political parties to put candidates and to participate in the elections.

It is therefore not for the Commission to answer the specific questions put by the Honourable Member.

(1) Act concerning the election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, annexed to

Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom of 20 September 1976, OJ L 278, 8.10.1976.

(2) Draft Council decision (8964/2002) amending the Act concerning the election of representatives of the Parliament
by direct universal suffrage, annexed to Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom of 20 September 1976.

(2003/C 161 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2628/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: Soaring prices of goods in Greece

Since the introduction of the euro in Greece and other Member States, there has been a steep and
consistent rise in the prices of all basic goods and public and private services, which has led workers and
the public at large to protest against their diminishing incomes by boycotting the market.

In his reply to my previous question (E-2639/01 (1)), the Commissioner responsible, Mr Solbes Mira, said
that, in the short term, the introduction of the euro will have ‘only a marginal effect on inflation’ while
‘in the medium term it will help make for better control of prices’.

1. Has the Commission investigated the causes of the major price rises seen in Greece? Has there been a

similar level of speculative price increases in the other Member States?

2. Has it checked whether these price rises are reflected in the consumer price index announced by the

Member States?

10.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161 E/31

3.

Is it studying proposals such as the one submitted by Italy to issue 1 euro notes? How will it ensure
the stability of the incomes of those affected by price rises of a speculative or other nature?

(1) OJ C 115 E, 16.5.2002, p. 136.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2002)

1.
In the general framework of the assessment of the economic situation in the Member States and
within its macro-economic forecasts exercise, the Commission is regularly monitoring price developments
mainly by means of the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP), which aims at ensuring a sufficient
degree of comparison among Member States, and also by means of other price indexes produced at
national level. In Greece, in the last months of 2001 and in the first quarter of 2002, an acceleration in the
rate of increase was recorded in both the HICP and the CPI (the national consumer price index). Among
the factors that influenced price developments in that period, the persistence of exceptionally bad weather
conditions caused a spectacular increase in unprocessed food prices and in particular in fresh food and
vegetables prices;
furthermore, according to some national surveys, upward roundings in goods and
services prices, following the effective use of the euro as from 1 January 2002, may have also contributed
to increase consumer prices. However, a deceleration in the increase of most indexes is observed in the
these positive
second quarter of 2002 as a result of some moderation in the underlying indexes;
developments might continue in the remainder of 2002, although uncertainty is stemming from external
developments, in particular oil prices. In general, the changeover to the euro seems to have led to limited
increases in inflation at aggregate level. However, in some Member States, certain categories of consumer
products and services did show a higher level of
inflation than would have been expected. This
phenomenon supported the perception in the public of large inflation increases at an aggregate level.

2.
Eurostat receives each month from the National Statistical Service of Greece a set of price indices for
consumer goods and services based on harmonised definitions and rules. Eurostat provided specific
guidelines on how the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices should be calculated in the euro-zone at the
changeover to the euro. They have been followed by Greece. Eurostat’s own published analyses of inflation
linked to the changeover are based on data for the euro-zone as a whole and not on data for any
individual Member State. Eurostat has not carried out any specific investigations into the causes of recent
price increase in Greece or the other individual euro-zone Member States.

3.
The choice of values for bank notes is the exclusive responsibility of the European Central Bank. The
decision to produce seven denominations ranging from EUR 5 to EUR 500 was taken after four years of
detailed discussions in the working party on printing and issuing a European bank note, set up in 1992 by
the Committee of Governors of the Central Banks. Eurobarometer surveys since the start of the year show
that the notes have been very well received by the public and that there is no desire to alter the range. The
possibility of EUR 1 or EUR 2 notes has no real support anywhere other than in Greece and Italy and
comes up against strong opposition in some countries (e.g. in France 68 % would be against any such
move).

(2003/C 161 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2666/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 September 2002)

Subject: Shop for EU officials in Brussels

In his answer to Question E-1412/02 (1), the Commissioner says that Belgian language laws do not apply
in the shop for EU officials in Wetenschapsstraat/rue de la Science in Brussels.

He also says that this shop ‘offers the same range of products that is typically found in a normal
supermarket’.