WRITTEN QUESTION E-3355/02 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Ban on concluding public contracts with media companies.
Date: 2002-11-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, Greece, competition law, mass media, national law, public service, service concession

C 161 E/84

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

(2003/C 161 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3351/02

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 November 2002)

Subject: EC Petition 566/2000

The Commission claimed (letter 19.6.2002) that a study of the microwave market in EU and EFTA
countries was not required. At the Petition hearing on 21.2.2002 the Commission said that such a study
had been made by the Commission. Can a definitive answer be given on whether or not it has been done,
and such a survey sent immediately to Parliament?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 2002)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the term ‘study’ referred to in the Committee
on Petitions was used to mean an analysis of the market situation and included the facts as presented to it
in any matter relating to competition.

(2003/C 161 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3355/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 November 2002)

Subject: Ban on concluding public contracts with media companies

A new law adopted by the Greek Parliament
(No. 3021, Greek Government Gazette 19/0672002)
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?

10.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161 E/85

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2003)

Following the written question (P-1666/02) asked by the Honourable Member on this topic,
Commission obtained the text of the Greek law in question.

the

The Commission is in the process of analysing this law.

If necessary, the Commission will contact Greece in order to obtain any information it requires to
complete its analysis.

(2003/C 161 E/090)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3362/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: The wreck of the oil tanker ‘Prestige’ on the Galician coast

(27 November 2002)

In the face of the ecological disaster caused by the wreck of the oil tanker Prestige 50 kilometres off the
Galician coast, what immediate and long-term measures does the Commission intend to take to resolve
this situation, given that Galicia has already suffered a number of extremely serious incidents of this kind
along its coastline?

(2003/C 161 E/091)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3404/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE),
José Mendiluce Pereiro (PSE)
and Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 November 2002)

Subject: Ecological disaster caused by the ‘Prestige’ oil spill

On 13 November 2002 the Prestige oil tanker had an extremely serious accident off the coast of Galicia.

As a result of the oil spill which followed, and which may still continue, Spain and Europe are now facing
a major ecological, social and economic disaster.

In the wake of a series of similar disasters (the accidents involving the Urquiola in 1976, the Amoco Cadiz
in 1978, the Cason in 1987, the Aegean Sea in 1992, the Braer in 1993, the Sea Empress in 1996 and the
Erika in 1999) the European Union has adopted a large number of texts in this field. Nevertheless, all the
signs are that the checks imposed on the transport of oil by sea do not guarantee adequate protection.

What measures will the Commission adopt in response to the Prestige disaster with regard to maritime
safety and the immediate consequences of the oil spill for the environment, economy and communities
affected?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3362/02 and E-3404/02
given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2003)

As the Honourable Members point out, the wreck of the Bahamas-flagged ‘Prestige’ tanker off the coast of
Galicia has caused a major ecological disaster, the full extent of which cannot yet be gauged.