WRITTEN QUESTION E-3638/02 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Banking assets.
Date: 2002-12-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, European Economic Area, branch, company with share capital, financial institution, subsidiary

12.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137 E/235

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(31 January 2003)

The Commission is not aware of these practices, nor does it possess any information which would support
the findings of the German survey. Responsibility for checking the weight or volume of products rests with
the national authorities. The Commission is always willing to bring a clearly explained and cogently argued
complaint to the attention of those authorities.

In addition to any national legislation governing the weight or volume of products, manufacturers may
also benefit from Community legislation governing checks on the indicated contents. Products which have
been filled in accordance with a standardised method may have the ‘e-mark’ affixed to the pack. The
e-mark is recognised in all the Member States, and may be affixed alongside any mark awarded under
national legislation.

As part of the SLIM-IV initiative (Simplification of Legislation on the Internal Market) on pre-packed
products, the Commission is preparing a draft Directive which will make the e-mark method compulsory
throughout the Union. If underfilling proves to be a problem for consumers, it could be dealt with in the
public consultation exercise which is planned for the autumn.

Checks on the weight or volume of products must be distinguished from the issue of whether pack sizes
should be fixed or free, which is currently the subject of a public discussion forum: http://europa.eu.int/
yourvoice/prepacking_nl.htm.

(2003/C 137 E/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3638/02

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2002)

Subject: Banking assets

Will the Commission please give the figures for the most recent available year for each Member State for
the proportion of banking assets in that Member State held by financial companies whose principal
ownership is in the Member State concerned, and the proportion of banking assets held by financial
companies whose principal ownership is outside the Member State concerned?

Will the Commission also state within the latter total what is the proportion of banking assets in financial
companies owned by EU Member States (other than the Member State concerned)?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2003)

The table which is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat includes figures
for the total assets of credit institutions, the assets of branches of credit institutions established according
to the law of another European Economic Area (EEA) country, the assets of subsidiaries with principal
ownership situated in another EEA country, the assets of branches of credit institutions established
according to the law of a non-EEA country and the assets of subsidiaries with principal ownership situated
in a non-EEA country. On the basis of these figures different percentages in the total assets of credit
institutions are calculated. The data refers to 2000 and 2001 and is available from the European Central
Bank.

The table contains figures for branches and subsidiaries. A ‘branch’ means a place of business which forms
a legally dependent part of a credit institution and which conducts directly all or some of the operations
inherent in the business of credit institutions. Contrary to the subsidiaries, branches do not have a legal
personality in the country they are established in.