WRITTEN QUESTION P-1377/03 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Deterioration of mobile telephone services.
Date: 2003-04-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: action programme, consumer protection, mobile phone, telecommunications industry, telecommunications policy, transmission network

C 33 E/110

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

Olive oil Promotion on the Internal Market

A directly managed Union-wide campaign to promote the consumption of olive oil (the seventh campaign)
based on the old regulatory framework was still ongoing at the time when the new Regulation (1) was
initially adopted. This is why olive oil was not included in the list of products eligible for promotion at
that time.

The implementation of this campaign was finalised by the end of 2002. The evaluation part will be
finalised by the end of June 2003.

With the latest amendment of the above mentioned Regulation (2), olive oil and table olives were included
in the list of eligible products and guidelines to draft the programmes were annexed. This will enable the
professional organisations in the producing Member States to submit proposals within the current
Regulation.

Olive oil Promotion in Third Countries

Based on Council Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999 of 14 December 1999 on information/promotion of
agricultural products in third countries (3), the Community may, where measures are decided in particular
for the olive oil and table olive sector, carry them out through the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC).

The IOOC is for the moment in the process of reforming its administration and procedures.

the time being the IOOC promotional activities are carried out with an annual budget of

For
EUR 500 000 comprising the obligatory contributions of the IOOC members to the promotion fund.

A decision to contribute additionally with a voluntary financial contribution of the Community to the
promotion fund remains to be taken.

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 94/2002 of 18 January 2002 laying down detailed rules for applying Council
Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 on information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the internal
market.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 497/2003 of 18 March 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 94/2002 of 18 January 2002
laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 on information and promotion
actions for agricultural products on the internal market, OJ L 74, 20.3.2003.

(3) OJ L 327, 21.12.1999.

(2004/C 33 E/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1377/03

by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Deterioration of mobile telephone services

(7 April 2003)

The last 12 months have seen a considerable rise in the number of people using multimedia mobile
telephones capable of receiving and sending images and videos and of surfing and downloading internet
programmes.

However, mobile telephone transmission networks designed to carry voice signals have not been replaced
by UMTS networks appropriate to transmissions of this kind, nor have they been substantially reinforced:
in fact, there has been a drastic cutback in investment in the network.

The result is that the networks are so saturated that the general quality of service is falling, a fact which is
specifically affecting the launching and reliability of the new multimedia terminals.

6.2.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

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What plans does the Commission have to put an end to this situation, and within what time frame?

How are users to be protected from the general deterioration of quality service, which is affecting the new
multimedia services in particular?

How are consumers to be compensated for having paid for a service which it then turns out they can
scarcely get the benefit of?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

The Commission is not aware of a general network saturation or reduction of the quality of mobile
services.

As the mobile operators are grappling with the economic slowdown since 2000, and trying to roll out
third generation mobile communications (3G) networks and services, new data services are offered via an
upgrade of existing access platforms, such as Generalised Packet Radio Service (GPRS). Quite naturally,
interoperability) which according to the
such innovative services experience initial difficulties (e.g.
observation of the Commission operators are addressing with high priority.

It is the Commission’s policy to encourage network deployment, including the eEurope Action Plan, where
all Member States have been asked to put in place a comprehensive broadband strategy by the end of
2003. In its Communication ‘Electronic Communications: the Road to the Knowledge Economy’ (1), the
Commission presented a number of actions addressing both the roll-out of broadband and 3G networks
and services. The Commission will report at the end of 2003 on the state of deployment of 3G networks,
and provide clarifications on issues of network infrastructure sharing.

In the end, it is for the mobile operators to finance their upgrading of existing, and future, networks, and
guarantee the quality of service of their networks. The success of mobile services leads to limited situations
of locally high usage density (e.g. in so-called hot spots or at certain times of the day). The availability of
the network services is a key feature for operators to compete on. The Commission is therefore confident
that the possibility for customers to change a service provider in case of degrading or poor service quality
is a strong incentive for operators to upgrade their networks in accordance with the demand and the
network load, even more so as the unavailability of services would result in lost revenues.

The Commission has not been made aware of a generalised dissatisfaction of customers concerning the
quality of service of 2G services. If the case may be, the question of compensating consumers falls under
the contractual relation between the consumer and the service provider.

(1) COM(2003) 65 final.

(2004/C 33 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1388/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(15 April 2003)

Subject:

’Accidental’ deaths in Italian prisons (cid:1) the case of Luigi Giusti

On 3 December 2002, Mr Luigi Giusti, aged 58, was arrested and transferred to Poggioreale prison in
Naples under a detention order issued by Naples examining magistrate Giovanna Ceppaluni, at the request
of public prosecutor Francesco Curcio.