WRITTEN QUESTION P-3627/02 by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission. Increase in toy prices.
Date: 2002-12-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, EU statistics, Netherlands, euro, horizontal agreement, price agreement, price increase, retail price, toy industry

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/95

The emphasis lies on promoting dialogue and positive measures rather than punitive action. The EU takes
every opportunity to urge States to respect human rights and to promote their protection, and to remind
partner countries of commitments arising from agreements containing a human rights ‘essential element’
clause.

2.
Every time the Council convenes in its General Affairs configuration, it notes all the resolutions,
decisions and opinions voted by the European Parliament during its previous session(s). The Council then
records that due account was taken of the positions adopted by the European Parliament when the points
concerned were discussed, or will be taken when they come up for discussion in the future. It goes without
saying that matters relating to human rights are by definition treated in this way.

3. With regard to the representation of the Council at debates held during European Parliament part-
sessions, the Council’s Rules of Procedure, Article 26, lays down that ‘The Council may be represented
before the European Parliament or its committees by the Presidency or, with the latter’s agreement, by the
following Presidency or by the Secretary-General’.

The Council has kept to this rule every time it has met in plenary session. It would also ask the
Honourable Member to refer to the minutes drawn up by the European Parliament at the end of each part-
session, where the information requested can be found.

(2003/C 222 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3627/02

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(10 December 2002)

Subject: Increase in toy prices

Consumers’ associations in the Netherlands and Belgium are currently investigating retail toy prices. In the
Netherlands, the Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond) claims to have enough evidence to prove
that retailers are agreeing not to undercut each other’s prices and that the manufacturers are keeping prices
artificially high. The Consumentenbond also says that the prices of the most popular toys have increased
by 40 % over the past two years. It also recognises a delayed euro effect: when the euro was introduced,
the prices of many toys were rounded up. In some cases, that has resulted in a 10 % increase over last
year’s prices.

Is the Commission aware of any price-fixing on the toy market in the Netherlands and Belgium or in the
other EU Member States? If so, what is it doing to counteract this phenomenon?

Is the Commission aware that retailers are charging higher prices since the advent of the euro? If so, does
it have any figures available?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2003)

The Commission is aware of the fact that consumer organisations are currently examining retail prices for
toys on the Dutch and Belgium markets. Taking into account the strongly national character of the
markets at issue, the Commission considers that the allegations of price fixing are best looked at by the
national competition authorities. It has been informed that contacts on these matters exist already between
the Dutch Competition Authority and the respective consumer organisation.

C 222 E/96

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

The cash changeover to the euro in January 2002 has been the focus of much attention, not only by the
Commission but also by non-governmental organisations and research institutes.

Eurostat’s analyses (1) indicate that the euro-changeover seems to have led to some price increases for
specific products, such as restaurants & cafes and hairdressers, but that the overall effect on prices in the
euro-zone has been limited. For the all items Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, the price increase
most likely falls within the range 0,0 to 0,2 %.

Concerning toys, the most detailed information available to Eurostat concerns the group of products
‘Games, Toys and Hobbies’ (Coicop class 09.3.1 (cid:1) an annex sent direct to the Honourable Member and to
Parliament’s Secretariat details what this covers).

For the Netherlands, the inflation rate for the 12 months ending in November 2002 was 0,6 % for ‘Games,
Toys and Hobbies’, while the corresponding all items inflation rate was 4,1 %. For Belgium, the inflation
rate for ‘Games, Toys and Hobbies’ was 1,2 % and all-items inflation was 1,6 %. Therefore,
in both
countries, price increases for this group of products have been below the average for all consumer
products.

These comparisons indicate that, while prices for individual toys may have risen substantially, there does
not seem to be any exceptional price increase for toys taken as a whole.

(1) See Eurostat news releases No 23/2002 (28 February 2002), No 58/2002 (16 May 2002), and 84/2002 (17 July

2002).

(2003/C 222 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3631/02

by Bill Newton Dunn (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2002)

Subject: Paying fines imposed by the ECJ

The French Government was reported to have been fined one hundred thousand pounds per day for
refusing to import perfectly good British beef?

Whatever the total amount owing, will the Commission be pressing the French Government to pay up?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2003)

France adopted legislation lifting its ban on entry and marketing of United Kingdom beef complying with
the Date Based Export Scheme before the proceedings opened by the Commission before the Court of
Justice under Article 228 of the EC Treaty reached the judgment stage.

As the Commission, after examining the French Legislation and considering certain aspects of its practical
implementations, took the view that France had complied with its Community Law obligations, the case
before the Court was withdrawn. The Commission nevertheless maintained a claim for legal costs.

On 5 December 2002, the President of the Court ordered case C-274/02 to be removed from the Court
Register. In compliance with the Commission’s request, France was ordered to pay the legal costs.