WRITTEN QUESTION E-3073/03 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Cost of bank transactions in Greece.
Date: 2003-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, Greece, bank charges, bank deposit, banking, euro area, financial statistics, interest, savings

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/219

its

The Commission has been informed of the slow progress in the provision of broadband services in Greece
in the context of
in the open network provision (ONP) and
Communications Committees. No complaints, either formal or informal, have been submitted to the
Commission by any operator regarding the provision of ADSL lines in Greece. Concerns have, however,
been addressed to the Commission by members of the public, to whom the Commission has duly
responded.

inquiries carried out

regular

The old Community framework, which applied until it was superseded by the new one on 25 July 2003, is
still applicable in Greece through its national transposition measures. The old framework does not provide
for the simple resale of ADSL lines but rather regulates the provision by the incumbent of access and
interconnection to its network. In particular, the NRA had to ensure that the incumbent is not providing
access to its network to its competitors under discriminatory terms and conditions.

The Commission has informed the National Communications and Post Commission (EETT) and the
General Secretariat of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the concerns expressed by users.
The EETT carried out relevant inquiries which resulted in substantial reductions to prices which currently,
according to the EETT, do not seem to deviate from the Community average. However, it seems that the
margin between wholesale and retail prices for the provision of ADSL lines is still limited. The EETT is
currently examining the pricing and quality of service issue to ensure that OTE is not offering the service
to its competitors under discriminatory terms and conditions.

The Commission is following the case closely and will either bring infringement proceedings if it considers
that Community obligations are not properly implemented or use its powers under the EC Treaty
competition rules should the behaviour by OTE prove to be incompatible with its obligations under
Article 82 of the EC Treaty.

(1) Commission Recommendation 2003/311/EC of 11 February 2003 on relevant product and service markets within
the electronic communications sector susceptible to ex ante regulation in accordance with Directive 2002/21/EC of
the Parliament and of the Council on a common regulatory framework for electronic communication networks and
services, OJ L 114, 8.5.2003.

(2004/C 78 E/0224)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3073/03

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 October 2003)

Subject: Cost of bank transactions in Greece

According to information published in the Greek press, Greek banks plan to introduce a charge for all
types of bank operations (including the simplest operations such as providing information on the balance
on an account) carried out by staff at the counter. It has also been reported that each exchange transaction
will incur a charge of at least EUR 2 and a similar charge will be applied to deposits or withdrawals of cash
from a depositor’s account, whilst information concerning the balance on the account will be subject to a
charge of EUR 1,5.

It might be pointed out that, apart from professionals and the many thousands of other Greek depositors,
hundreds of thousands of Greek pensioners carry out transactions at the counter, and naturally enough
they have little knowledge of how to use automated teller machines (ATMs), the Internet and phone
banking. If the above plans are carried through, pensioners will face a particular problem given that, if
they are to avoid paying the above charge for transactions at the counter, they will be obliged to use ATMs
(which are often located in the open rather than inside the banks), with the result, among other things,
that they will become a fairly easy target for the many criminals who have been overrunning Greece in
recent years.

What charges are citizens in the remaining 14 EU countries required to pay for deposits, withdrawals and
the provision of information concerning their account? What are the average interest rates for current and
savings accounts in the 12 countries of the ‘eurozone’?

C 78 E/220

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 2003)

The Commission regrets that it does not have sufficient information to be able to fully answer the written
question.

To the best of the Commission’s knowledge, charges for banking operations are decided by each bank on
the basis of its costs and the competitive environment. If, as alleged in the written question, prices are the
same for all banks, and the Honourable Member has reasons to believe that there may have been collusion
between banks in deciding on identical prices,
that he submit this
information to the national competition authorities. The Commission, in principle, does not intervene on
the question of prices. The only Union provision dealing with prices for payments is Regulation (EC)
the Council of 19 December 2001 on cross-border payments in euro (1), which
No 2560/2001 of
establishes a non-discrimination rule between charges for national and cross-border payments in euro.

the Commission would suggest

As regards information concerning charges in Member States to citizens for deposits, withdrawals and the
provision of account information, the Commission has not collected and is not aware of the existence of
such information. Several thousand financial institutions in the Union set these prices independently and
no average prices per country are collected for these charges.

As regards average interest rates on current and savings accounts in the 12 euro-zone countries, the
European Central Bank (ECB) gathers and publishes certain unharmonised national statistics on current
account deposits, time deposits and savings accounts. However, such rates cannot be compared directly
with one another. The tables from the ECB can be accessed on the Internet at the following address:
(http://www.ecb.int/stats/nrir/rir_nrir.pdf). The Commission will send the Honourable Member a copy of
the more detailed tables separately.

In June 2003, average interest rates ranged from 0,15 % to 1,48 % for current accounts, and from 0,04 %
to 3,15 % for savings accounts, in those Member States where such information was available. The average
for the euro area was 1,85 % for deposits with one year maturity, and 1,83 % for deposits redeemable at up
to three months notice.

(1) OJ L 344, 28.12.2001.

(2004/C 78 E/0225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3074/03

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(20 October 2003)

Subject: Avermectin

The pesticide Avermectin (also known as Abamectin and Ivermectin) is classified by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) as a class IV toxicity pesticide, or practically non-toxic. At very high doses,
however,
it can affect mammals, causing symptoms of nervous system depression, such as lack of
coordination, tremors, lethargy, anxiety and pupil dilation.

How is this pesticide regulated by the EU?

Is the Commission satisfied with the level of compliance with existing EU legislation on this pesticide at
Member State level, and if not, what action is it considering?

What is the Commission’s response to claims that residues of this insecticide in animal waste slow down
the composting process?

Further to its 2002 communication on soil protection (1), what formal response has the Commission
received so far from the Irish Government to its proposals for legislation on compost and other biowaste,
due in 2004?

(1) COM(2002) 179 final.