WRITTEN QUESTION E-2537/03 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Net contribution to the common agricultural policy.
Date: 2003-07-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Portugal, common agricultural policy, economic and social cohesion, net contributor, statistics

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/255

work of the G10 Medicines group to ensure that patients receive good quality objective information about
what drugs and treatments are available to them?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2003)

Under the framework of the G10 Medicines initiative, the Commission will explore with stakeholders ways
to improve the provision of information on available prescription and non-prescription medicines. To take
this forward, the Commission will reflect on establishing a public private partnership involving a range of
interested parties including representatives from public bodies,
industry, health funds, health care
professionals and patients. This body could be used to advise and monitor the quality of existing
information and produce guidelines in specific areas to support the work of national and Community
regulatory authorities.

Commission work in this area will be supported by other projects including the work of the European
Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) is undertaking with patient organisations to
consider new ways of ensuring that information on medicines takes more account of patient needs.

(2004/C 11 E/284)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2281/03

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 July 2003)

Subject: Town twinning

What will
programmes, taking account of the lower per capita income in these countries?

the Commission do to assist

the acceding countries to participate in town twinning

Answer given by Ms Reding on behalf of the Commission

(4 August 2003)

Towns and municipalities in the candidate countries have already been taking part in the Commission’s
‘town twinning’ programme for several years, and the participation of these towns is increasing all the
time. The simplified system of awarding subsidies, which is based on flat-rate amounts, is particularly
conducive to the participation of small municipalities with limited financial and operational resources.

(2004/C 11 E/285)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2537/03

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Net contribution to the common agricultural policy

(29 July 2003)

In the second report on economic and social cohesion in the EU the Commission stated that Portugal was
a net contributor to the common agricultural policy (CAP).

In answer to my Written Question P-0897/01 (1) the Commission produced the figures on which it had
based that assertion. According to the Commission, Portugal’s net contribution to the CAP between 1989
and 1998 amounted to EUR 2 000 m, in other words over EUR 260 per inhabitant.

C 11 E/256

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

That being the case, can the Commission say whether Portugal is still a CAP net contributor? Using the
same method as for the period between 1989 and 1998, can it supply updated figures for the period
between 1998 and 2002?

(1) OJ C 261 E, 18.9.2001, p. 213.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 August 2003)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.