WRITTEN QUESTION E-1241/03 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Food labelling.
Date: 2003-04-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, consumer information, foodstuff, labelling

7.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 268 E/179

To what extent is the small airports’ offer to cut-price airlines to use their runways and airport
4.
facilities, at a low price compared with conventional airports, made possible by the use of public funds by
the local authorities or regional governments concerned? Does this constitute prohibited state aid or
distortion of competition?

5. What measures is the Commission taking to encourage international, and in particular inter-
continental, flights to remain or become concentrated at airports sited near large conurbations with good
rail connections?

6. What measures is the Commission taking to encourage regional airports to be used exclusively for
the needs of local towns and regions located far from a central airport, rather than as a cheap and
inconvenient competitor to central airports?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

The Commission is aware of the existence of rail
However, not all large Union airports are directly linked to a rail net.

links to notably the larger airports in the Union.

The Commission is aware of the recent developments in the air transport sector within the Union
including the emerging of the so called ‘low cost carriers’ which for a number of reasons have a cost
structure different from the incumbent air carriers. Some of these low cost carriers, but not all, concentrate
their activities on other than the large airports in the Union. There are no indications that because of these
developments international passenger flows are being diverted generally. Rather, the flights offered by low
cost carriers respond to a changing and increasing demand of the travelling public for a new type of air
services: direct point-to-point flights with significantly reduced customer service, which are not booked
through a travel agent but via internet. The Commission notes that the new situation in air transport is
also the result of an open market access regime where operators and customers can take decisions serving
their best own interests.

To what extent air carriers can use smaller airports against lower air charges than are considered normal is
not easy to say as agreed reductions to the official tariffs or special conditions are not always public
knowledge, and as the Commission is not systematically informed about such cases either. Whether in
specific cases State aids are involved and competition is distorted, has to be judged on a case by case basis.
In the case of Ryanair, which has allegedly received favourable commercial operating conditions from the
Walloon authorities and the airport of Charleroi under which conditions the carrier now operates to
Charleroi, the Commission has taken the decision to open a formal investigation whether the State aids
involved violate Article 87 EC of the EC Treaty. The investigation is currently in progress.

The Commission’s policy is not aimed at encouraging air carriers to deploy their commercial activities to
one or the other particular category of airports. The choice for such airports is the result of commercial
considerations by air carriers in a liberal market regime. It is not for the Commission to interfere in such
decisions as long as Community law is fully respected.

(2003/C 268 E/203)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1241/03

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(2 April 2003)

Subject: Food labelling

What information is required by European law to be provided on food labels in all Member States?

What discretion do individual Member States have to insist upon additional information being provided?

C 268 E/180

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.11.2003

What additional requirements for compulsory display of information in all Member States are currently
being prepared?

What assessment has been made by the Commission of the degree to which consumers are able to
understand the information that is provided?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 2003)

Article 3 of Directive 2000/13/EC (1)
foodstuffs.

These are as follows:

lists the particulars which are compulsory in the labelling of

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

the name under which the product is sold;

the list of ingredients;

the quantity of certain ingredients or categories of ingredients as provided for in Article 7;

in the case of prepackaged foodstuffs, the net quantity;

the date of minimum durability or, in the case of foodstuffs which, from the microbiological point of
view, are highly perishable, the ‘use by’ date;

any special storage conditions or conditions of use;

the name or business name and address of the manufacturer or packager, or of a seller established
within the Community;

8. particulars of the place of origin or provenance where failure to give such particulars might mislead

the consumer to a material degree as to the true origin or provenance of the foodstuff;

9.

instructions for use when it would be impossible to make appropriate use of the foodstuff in the
absence of such instructions;

10. with respect to beverages containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol, the actual alcoholic

strength by volume.

The Directive also states that Community provisions applicable to specified foodstuffs and not to foodstuffs
in general may provide that other particulars in addition to those included in the above list must appear
on the labelling.

In certain restricted cases, Member States may also make such provisions where they are justified,
in
accordance with Article 18 of the Directive, for reasons of protection of public health, fraud prevention or
protection of indications or brands.

The Commission must be notified of such measures, and they must be examined in application of the
procedure provided for in Article 19 of the Directive.

With regard to additional labelling requirements, the Commission, in line with the White Paper on food
safety in January 2000, submitted to Parliament and the Council a proposal to amend Directive 2000/13/
EC to provide more precise details concerning the ingredients contained in foodstuffs, in particular to take
account of food allergies and intolerances. This proposal is currently being examined by Parliament at
second reading. The Commission is also, together with all interested parties, considering adapting the
provisions on nutrition labelling.

In addition, at the end of 2002 the Commission began an evaluation of legislation on the labelling of
foodstuffs, which includes the question of clarity of information. The conclusions of this evaluation will be
available at the end of 2003 and will allow preparatory work to begin on updating the general provisions
on labelling.

(1) Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of
the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs. OJ L 109,
6.5.2000.