WRITTEN QUESTION E-2309/03 by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission. Ecstasy — Holland.
Date: 2003-07-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU statistics, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Netherlands, drug addiction, narcotic, originating product, social policy, young person

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/83

it is worth bearing in mind that any upward effect on overall
some Member States. In this context,
inflation rates due to the euro changeover can be expected to be of temporary nature. Indeed, the Eurostat
study mentioned above could not find any evidence of an effect of the changeover on the inflation rates
measured so far in 2003. The medium to long-term impact of
the single currency is to increase
competition across the euro area and hence lead to lower consumer prices.

Finally, regarding the acceptance of
the Commission notes that according to the latest
Eurobarometer (spring 2003), 75 % of the respondents in the euro area expressed support to the single
currency. This figure increased by 4 percentage points compared to the Autumn 2002 survey and is back
at the level reached right after the introduction of euro notes and coins on 1 January 2002, which was
also the highest level since 1994.

the euro,

(2004/C 70 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2309/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(14 July 2003)

Subject:

‘Ecstasy’ (cid:1) Holland

According to the media, the consumption of synthetic drugs, especially Ecstasy, is becoming increasingly
popular among young people in the Member States of the European Union.

According to these reports, most of the drugs originate in the Netherlands. Because of a more permissive
attitude towards the consumption and sale of drugs in general, the environment is conducive to less public
condemnation and vigilance regarding the production and sale of drugs.

Can the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether it can confirm that the consumption of synthetic drugs, especially Ecstasy,

is increasing,

particularly among young people in the EU Member States;

(cid:1) whether it can confirm that most of the drugs come from the Netherlands;

(cid:1) if so, what measures it has taken or intends to take to prevent drugs being exported from the

Netherlands and distributed throughout the EU;

(cid:1) whether it considers that the policy on drugs and addiction developed by the Netherlands has proved

ineffective;

(cid:1) what measures it recommends the neighbouring Member States should take to prevent the spread of

the adverse consequences of the Netherlands’ drugs and drug-addiction policy?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(27 August 2003)

According to the 2002 Annual Report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
(Emcdda) cannabis continues to be the illegal substance most commonly used in all Union countries.
Substances other than cannabis are used by much smaller proportions of the population. Amphetamines
have been tried by 1 to 6 % of the population while ecstasy has been tried by about 0,5 to 4,5 % of the
population.

The latest national population surveys among young adults (15-34 years old) report recent use (during the
last month) of amphetamines by 0,5 to 6 % and ecstasy by 0,5 to 5 % of the target population in European
countries.

The Emcdda in its annual report also indicates that the Netherlands is a major site for the production of
ecstasy, amphetamines and related drugs but evidence of production in other Member States and in east
European countries is also reported.

C 70 E/84

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

The Commission has emphasised that the issue of synthetic drugs must remain a top priority for the
Union and its Member States. This has also been emphasised by the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of
the EU. Following on from a meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in September 2002 an
implementation plan on actions to be taken in regard to the supply of synthetic drugs has been adopted by
the Council. This plan proposes actions to address a number of issues with regard to the supply of
synthetic drugs and identifies appropriate bodies to take the work forward.

(2004/C 70 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2318/03

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(14 July 2003)

Subject: European citizens’ right to privacy

(originally ‘Total

Information Awareness’,

The EU-US summit was held on 25 June this year. One of the topics was or should have been the TIA
project
subsequently changed to ‘Terrorism Information
Awareness’), basically a project to provide a gigantic apparatus for gathering and analysing information
obtained from the most varied sources, ranging from existing data banks to commercial transactions, from
people’s movements to intercepted communications. According to Stefano Rodotà, the guarantor of the
Italian privacy watchdog, we are witnessing a new dimension of surveillance, which increases the power of
the State to obtain any personal data, irrespective of who gathered it and the original purpose for which it
was gathered. The European Parliament, via its President Pat Cox, made its views clear: ‘we cannot let the
US dictate law in Europe’.

1. What was the outcome, as regards the TIA, of the summit meeting between the EU and the US held
on 25 June this year?

Does the Council not consider that US legislation on the subject cannot and must not have
if necessary, the most appropriate way of settling such issues is by

2.
extraterritorial validity and that,
international treaty?

3.
Did the Council uphold the principle that it is unacceptable that the United States should gather, by
any means at its disposal, information resulting from communications freely exchanged between European
citizens?

4. What steps will the Council take to safeguard the privacy of European citizens?

Reply

(8 December 2003)

The Council would inform the Honourable Member that there was no discussion of TIA at the summit
with the United States on 25 June 2003. The Council notes the points on which the Honourable Member
has expressed concern.

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that at the end of 2002 it approved an agreement
between Europol and the United States covering, inter alia, the transmission of personal data. The Europol
Joint Supervisory Body (the authority for the protection of personal data) gave a favourable opinion
concerning that agreement. The EU’s position concerning the protection of personal data is therefore well
known to the United States. The Council
intends to insist to the United States authorities (cid:1) as the
Commission is doing (cid:1) on full respect for the European position and the need to find an appropriate
solution that meets European standards. The Council also invites the Honourable Member to refer, in this
connection, to the position stated on the transmission of data concerning passengers in Opinions 6/2002
and 4/2003 of the Article 29 Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing
of Personal Data.