WRITTEN QUESTION P-4009/03 by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission. Reform of the tobacco CMO.
Date: 2003-12-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, agricultural production, redevelopment aid, smoking, social impact, tobacco industry

C 78 E/892

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of children to rest and leisure,
to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age and to participate freely in cultural life
and the arts.

Article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union lays down children’s right to the
protection and care necessary for their well-being.

Serious cases of discrimination against girls and boys are arising in Spain as regards access to sports
leagues, as a result of administrative obstacles or the refusal of sports federations to grant
them
membership, despite the fact that they are Community citizens.

What is the Commission’s view of the refusal by Spanish sports federations to grant membership cards to
children who are Member State nationals, when this refusal means that they are unable to play sport?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2004)

On the subject of difficulties encountered by young foreigners concerning access to sports activities
organised by certain federations in Spain, the Honourable Member is referred to the answer given by the
Commission to Written Question P-3911/03 from Mrs Valenciano Martinez-Orozco (1).

(1) See page 335.

(2004/C 78 E/0943)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4009/03

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 December 2003)

Subject: Reform of the tobacco CMO

Under the draft revision of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) in tobacco, the Commission has
made provision for Europe to progressively abandon the production of tobacco on its territory.

Specifically, the proposal envisages that from 2005 there will be a drastic revision of the aid system, which
will lead in 2007 to the abolition of the Community fund for tobacco.

While concerns regarding the very serious public health problems caused by tobacco are understandable, it
should be noted that dismantling this productive sector will have dramatic implications for at least
110 000 families of European agricultural workers, 400 000 seasonal
jobs and 30 000 jobs in the
processing industry.

Has the Commission made provision for appropriate social safety valves to safeguard the jobs of workers
in this sector? Would it be possible to maintain at least a partial link between aid and production?

Without compromising the wish to combat cigarette addiction effectively, particularly among the young,
does the Commission not believe that (cid:1) since Europe already imports 80 % of its tobacco requirements
from non-EU countries (cid:1) even were it to import 100 %, this would change nothing with regard to the
vital battle against tobacco consumption?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 2004)

The proposal for a reform of the raw tobacco sector implies that the product-specific support to tobacco
will be replaced by an income support to producers as in the June 2003 Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP) reform, and that the majority of the raw tobacco producers will continue to receive the same
support as they receive today without being bound to produce tobacco.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/893

The Community Tobacco Fund will be abolished as from 2007 because the financing of this fund is linked
to the product-specific support which disappears, but the global budget for the tobacco sector will remain
the same, and the part which is not paid to the producers as coupled or decoupled payments will be
transferred to a financial envelope which shall be used in the Member States where the funds contributing
to the envelope are collected. The funds in the envelope shall be administered according to the rural
the infrastructure in the tobacco
development
producing regions and to support producers who want to shift to other products or to other economic
activities.

legislation and will contribute to improvements of

The funding in the Community Tobacco Fund used for reconversion, etc. amounts only to approximately
EUR 14 million in 2004, while the funding in the financial envelope from 2007 onwards will amount to
EUR 205 million.

The increased funding for improvements of the infrastructure and support of the producers shift to other
products or other economic activities should ensure that the economic situation for the producers and
workers in the tobacco producing regions will not have the dramatic implications evoked by the
Honourable Member.

As concerns the question on the fight against tobacco addiction, it can be said that, while the removal of
product related subsidies may not directly influence the short term prevalence of smoking, as was the
finding of the Commission Extended Impact Assessment report, it is clear that a better coherence with
public health policies is essential to maintain the confidence and trust of Union citizens.

(2004/C 78 E/0944)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4016/03

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Free movement of pharmaceutical products in the EU

(9 January 2004)

Freedom of movement for the Union’s citizens has enabled numerous citizens of Member States to settle in
Member States other than their country of origin, in order to enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle and higher
living standards.

This has, however, led to a considerable number of problems. One of these concerns the variations in
medicines as between one Member States and another, which means many non-nationals cannot take their
usual medicines in their host country for the treatment of physical illnesses, above all those of a chronic
nature.

Can the Commission state what possibilities exist for an EU citizen resident in a Member State other than
his country of origin to be supplied with his usual medicines in his new host country, via the relevant
pharmaceutical establishments?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2004)

As a matter of fact, an EU citizen resident in a Member State other than his country of origin may find his
usual medicines in his new host country provided those medicines have received marketing authorisation
in that Member State or have received a Community marketing authorisation.

In the case of distance selling where the EU citizen concerned would like to have his usual medicines
supplied by a pharmacist established in his country of origin, the following must be noted:

(cid:1) Article 14 of Directive 97/7/EC (1), provides that Member States, in order to ensure a higher level of
consumer protection, may introduce or maintain restrictions on the marketing of certain goods or
services, particularly medicinal products, within their territory by means of distance contracts, with
due regard for the EC Treaty.