WRITTEN QUESTION E-1444/03 by Francesco Rutelli (ELDR), Mariotto Segni (UEN), Graham Watson (ELDR),Enrique Barón Crespo (PSE), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Verts/ALE), Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE),Francis Wurtz (GUE/NGL), Teresa Almeida Garrett (PPE-DE), Guido Bodrato (PPE-DE),Luciano Caveri (ELDR), Luigi Cocilovo (PPE-DE), Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL),Paolo Costa (ELDR), Luigi De Mita (PPE-DE), Giuseppe Di Lello Finuoli (GUE/NGL),Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR), Carlo Fatuzzo (PPE-DE), Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE),Marco Formentini (ELDR), Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE), Florence Kuntz (EDD),Franco Maríni (PPE-DE), Mario Mastella (PPE-DE), Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE),Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL), Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE), Giorgio Napolitano (PSE),Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE), Elena Paciotti (PSE), Giuseppe Pisicchio (PPE-DE),Giovanni Pittella (PSE), José Pomés Ruiz (PPE-DE), Giovanni Procacci (ELDR),Giorgio Ruffolo (PSE), Guido Sacconi (PSE), Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR),Bruno Trentin (PSE) and Gianni Vattimo (PSE) to the Commission. Freedom and pluralism of information.
Date: 2003-04-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EP resolution, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, European Commission, European convention, economic activity, freedom of the press, law relating to information, pluralism in the media, powers of the institutions (EU)

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Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(23 May 2003)

The Commission is fully committed to emphasising the need to strengthen respect for civil and political
rights in Laos, including freedom of expression, assembly, association and religion, as expressed in the
Community-Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) Co-operation Agreement.

The question of the five leaders of the ‘26 October 1999 Movement’ has been raised by the Commission in
bilateral meetings with the Lao Government, as well as in other fora, but so far only limited information
has been provided.

Regarding the question of a possible suspension of the Community-Lao PDR Co-operation Agreement, the
Commission continues to be of the opinion that maintaining a cohesive policy of constructive political
dialogue with the Laotian Government, paired with continued support to the most vulnerable segments of
the Laotian population through Community-assisted development programmes, will be more fruitful than
a confrontational approach.

However, should the political and human rights situation in the country deteriorate to such an extent that
continued Community co-operation with Laos be put into question, the Commission will be prepared to
undertake the necessary steps in order to get an agreement on the appropriate action to take.

(2003/C 280 E/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1444/03

by Francesco Rutelli (ELDR), Mariotto Segni (UEN), Graham Watson (ELDR),
Enrique Barón Crespo (PSE), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Verts/ALE), Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE),
Francis Wurtz (GUE/NGL), Teresa Almeida Garrett (PPE-DE), Guido Bodrato (PPE-DE),
Luciano Caveri (ELDR), Luigi Cocilovo (PPE-DE), Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL),
Paolo Costa (ELDR), Luigi De Mita (PPE-DE), Giuseppe Di Lello Finuoli (GUE/NGL),
Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR), Carlo Fatuzzo (PPE-DE), Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE),
Marco Formentini (ELDR), Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE), Florence Kuntz (EDD),
Franco Maríni (PPE-DE), Mario Mastella (PPE-DE), Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE),
Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL), Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE), Giorgio Napolitano (PSE),
Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE), Elena Paciotti (PSE), Giuseppe Pisicchio (PPE-DE),
Giovanni Pittella (PSE), José Pomés Ruiz (PPE-DE), Giovanni Procacci (ELDR),
Giorgio Ruffolo (PSE), Guido Sacconi (PSE), Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR),
Bruno Trentin (PSE) and Gianni Vattimo (PSE) to the Commission

(24 April 2003)

Subject: Freedom and pluralism of information

In view of:

(cid:1) the fact that freedom of information, which is vital in guaranteeing the democratic principles on
which the European Union is based (Article 6(1) TEU) must, particularly in the perspective of the
enlargement, be given a framework of legal guarantees protecting all European citizens and restricting
the establishment of legal or de facto monopolies;

(cid:1) the fact that the specific nature of the information market justifies special protection both in the
context of international negotiations (Doha) and within the European Union’s internal law ‘not only
using economic indicators but also in connection to the respect of fundamental rights’ (paragraph 58
of European Parliament resolution of 15 January 2003);

(cid:1) the need to guarantee respect for pluralism and the accuracy of information provided by the media,

particularly those playing a public service role;

(cid:1) the urgent need to resolve the situations condemned in Parliament’s resolution of 15 January 2003;

(cid:1) the fact that this condemnation is backed by the Council of Europe, which considers that in Italy
‘… the potential conflict of interest (…) is a threat to media pluralism and unless clear safeguards are
in place sets a poor example for young democracies’ (paragraph 12 of Recommendation 1589 of
28 January 2003); and since

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(cid:1) the procedure set out in Article 7(1) of the EU Treaty, which entered into force on 1 February 2003,
also applies to the protection of the fundamental right to information safeguarded by Article 6 of the
EU Treaty,

The Commission:

1. When does it intend to submit a communication on the state of media pluralism in the EU and a

directive for safeguarding it, as requested in Parliament’s resolution of 20 November 2002?

2. When does it intend to submit to the European Convention, as requested in Parliament’s resolution of
20 November 2002, a proposal for a legal basis to protect the principle of pluralism and freedom
within the information media in the new constitution?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(7 July 2003)

The Commission can only reiterate the position which it has already communicated to the Parliament
(letter of 2 May 2003 from Ms de Palacio to Mr Rocard) regarding the possibility of follow-up action to
the resolution of 20 November 2002.

As stated, the Commission does not intend to take action on the European Parliament resolution since the
resolution deals with pluralism as a democratic and institutional value within each Member State,
expressing the desire to maintain free and diversified media in all the Member States.

The existing Community instruments, which are founded on the legal bases of the Treaty of Rome, are
designed to ensure a certain economic balance between economic operators and thus directly affect the
media as an economic activity, but not (cid:1) or only very indirectly (cid:1) as a vehicle for delivering information
to citizens.

The Commission does not therefore have the legal instruments to allow it to take the problems raised by
the Honourable Members into consideration.

The Commission backed the inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (cid:1) Article 11 (2) of which
clearly sets out the principle that the EU should respect freedom and pluralism of the media (cid:1) in the draft
Constitutional Treaty. This request has been taken into consideration and its inclusion features among the
results of the Convention’s work.

interest, which was adopted on 21 May 2003,

Finally, the Commission would point out that one of the issues dealt with in the Green Paper on services
of general
is that of the protection of pluralism. The
question is raised about whether the possibility of taking specific measures to protect pluralism should be
re-examined at Community level and which measures could be envisaged. All interested parties are invited
to submit their comments by 15 September 2003.

(2003/C 280 E/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1445/03

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

(24 April 2003)

Subject: European citizens’ right to health (cid:1) Charter of EU Citizens’ Health Rights

The EU institutions have not yet recognised the right to health for all European citizens. There are still
unacceptable disparities between the health services provided by the different Member States. For instance,
the average number of hospital beds per 1 000 inhabitants is 4,1 in Spain, as against 9,4 in Germany, 8,3
in France, 10,1 in Ireland and 11,3 in the Netherlands. The United Kingdom average has, as a result of the
Thatcher Government’s ultraliberal policy, stagnated at 4,4 beds. In Spain, Central Government policy has
tended to favour private management of hospital centres and has reduced the number of health
professionals per bed. There is even a trend, promoted by the governments of certain countries, towards
privatisation of public health services, along the same lines as the United States, which is the developed
country with the poorest health standards and the lowest life expectancy.