WRITTEN QUESTION E-3599/03 by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Payable Internet services.
Date: 2003-12-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Internet, access to information, consumer information, electronic mail, payable service, provision of services

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/71

economy and efficiency with other external actions (best value for money, price-quality ratio, absence of
conflict of interests). However, they introduce a certain degree of flexibility linked to the specific nature of
humanitarian aid. These new rules have been favourably received by the non-governmental organisation
(NGO) community as a major improvement as compared to the previous practices.

(1) Council Directive 92/50/EEC of 18 June 1992 relating to the coordination of procedures for the award of public
service contracts, OJ L 209, 24.7.1992, Council Directive 93/36/EEC of 14 June 1993 coordinating procedures for
the award of public supply contracts, OJ L 199, 9.8.1993, and Council Directive 93/37/EEC of 14 June 1993
concerning the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, OJ L 199, 9.8.1993.

(2) Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002, OJ L 248, 16.9.2002.
(3) Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002, OJ L 357, 31.12.2002.
(4) Decision No 2/2002 of the ACP-EC Council of Ministers of 7 October 2002, OJ L 320, 23.11.2002.
(5) Council Regulation of 27 March 2003, OJ L 83, 1.4.2003.

(2004/C 84 E/0076)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3599/03

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Subject: Payable Internet services

One of the main Italian providers has made its Internet and e-mail services subject to payment since
11 November this year. From now on all those who want to continue using its services will have to pay an
annual fee of around EUR 30.

This is a worrying sign of the direction in which Internet providers are moving. There is a tendency
towards privatising the Net, which runs counter to the programme announced by the European Council in
Lisbon. Furthermore, users only knew about the introduction of the new system when they were denied
access to their own data and were asked to pay for the service, without a clear warning from the provider.

1. What steps will the Commission take to ensure free access to the Internet for European citizens?

Does the Commission not consider that the behaviour of the Italian service provider referred to
to handle their private

to the people who trusted it

2.
above is a blatant abuse and detrimental
correspondence?

Does the Commission not consider that this action is contrary to the proposals announced by the

3.
European Council in Lisbon regarding the creation of a knowledge-based society?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(21 January 2004)

1.
The Commission believes that efficient and unencumbered access to new electronic communication
services, including Internet services, can best be achieved in the first instance by there being an open and
competitive market for such services. This is part of the basic motivation behind the common regulatory
framework for electronic communications and services adopted last year and now being implemented
within the Member States.

2. Much of the Internet, and indeed its content and services, are the result of private investment. It is
not unreasonable to expect that private companies will aim to make a return on that investment, as they
would with any other investment. The Internet has permitted a range of commercial and non-commercial
models to co-exist. Some of the models involve direct payment by consumers and some others are
financed by advertising. It is not unusual for service providers to change their terms and conditions, and
this can include charging for a particular service. If however this were done in an abusive way, for example
without adequate warning,
then the matter could be taken up with the local consumer protection
authorities, for example.

C 84 E/72

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

The Commission in its contribution to the Lisbon European Council noted that the high cost of
3.
Internet access was an important factor. The expectation was though that increased competition would
reduce these costs. While there was the aim that the Internet be accessible by all this was not meant that
all access should be without any payment.

(2004/C 84 E/0077)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3619/03

by Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(1 December 2003)

Subject: Enlarging the Son Sant Joan de Palma de Mallorca airport (Balearic Islands)

In 2001 the present Spanish Government’s Ministry of the Presidency approved the Master Plan for the
Son Sant Joan de Palma de Mallorca airport (Balearic Islands). The Palma city council then adopted a
specific amendment to the Palma General Plan so as to incorporate the provisions of the Airport Master
Plan, which involved extending the facilities and runways so as to increase Balearic air traffic, which
estimated forecasts indicate would rise to 38 million passengers by 2015.

Can the Commission confirm this extension of the airport?

Does the Commission believe that these forecasts run counter to the principle of sustainability and
adequate assessment of impact on human beings, culture, countryside, natural environment, heritage and
quality of life laid down in Articles 2 and 6 of the Treaty of Nice for sustainable development, and in
European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/42/EC on the effects of certain plans and programmes on
the environment.

What steps, if appropriate, does the Commission intend to take?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(6 January 2004)

The Honourable Member refers to a modification of the Palma General Plan incorporating the provisions
of the Master Plan for the Son Sant Joan de Palma de Mallorca airport. The Commission is not aware of
this programme or of the amendments approved.

At present, Union law does not require Member States to carry out a strategic environmental assessment
(SEA) of their draft plans or programmes, or of proposed modifications. The position will change on
21 July 2004, the date by which Member States must complete their transposition of Directive 2001/42/
EC, the so-called SEA Directive (1). Thereafter, Member States will have to carry out an environmental
assessment of plans and programmes which meet the definition in the Directive. In some circumstances,
plans or programmes begun before 21 July 2004 but not adopted until after 21 July 2006 might also
require assessment.

On the other hand, Council Directive 85/337/EEC (EIA Directive) as amended by Council Directive 97/11/
EC of 3 March 1997 deals with the environmental assessment of certain public and private projects on the
environment (2). It provides that Member States must ensure that, before development consent is given,
projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, ‘inter alia’, of their nature, size or
location are made subject to an assessment of the environmental effects. These projects are defined in
Article 4 that refers to Annexes I and II of the Directive. Any change or extension of projects listed in
Annex I or II, fall under Annex II point 13 of the EIA Directive. This seems to be the case of the extension
of facilities and runways. In this case, the Spanish authorities have to determine, either through a case by
case examination or according to thresholds or criteria, whether the project is to be made subject to an
assessment because of its likely significant effects on the environment taking into account the relevant
selection criteria set out in Annex III of the Directive.