WRITTEN QUESTION P-0305/04 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Request for PDO for Sant Andrea Piemonte rice.
Date: 2004-02-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, Italy, administration of the Institutions, designation of origin, image, rice

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/571

fixes minimum level taxation, leaving Member States free to apply higher taxes. The mentioned tax/levy
has not hindered the development of an open efficient and competitive market among Sweden, Norway,
Finland and Denmark: power quantity turned over (2) grew from 18,4 Terawatt-hour (TWh) in 1993 to
3 232,1 TWh in 2002, while traded volume grew from 18,4 TWh in 1993 to 1 143,1 TWh in 2002.

(1) OJ L 283, 31.10.2003.
(2) Source: Nord Pool website: http://www.nordpool.com/information/index.html

(2004/C 84 E/0648)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0305/04

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Request for PDO for ‘Sant Andrea Piemonte rice’

(2 February 2004)

On 27 May 2003 the Italian Ministry for Agricultural Policy submitted to the Commission, pursuant to
Article 5 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 (1), a request for registration of ‘Sant Andrea Piemonte’
rice as a PDO. By letter of 22 July I asked the Directorate-General for Agriculture for information on the
progress of this application. On 14 August I received a reply from the director informing me that the
application was being carefully considered by the Commission and that, if the request included all the
particulars required under Community law, the Commission would, as provided for in Article 6 of the EEC
regulation, publish an initial notice in the EU Official Journal.

Given that six months have elapsed since the request was submitted, i.e. the period within which, under
Article 6(1), the Commission must verify whether the registration application includes all the particulars
provided for in Article 4, and that no notification has been received by those directly concerned or by the
Italian Ministry for Agricultural Policy from the relevant services:

The Commission:

1. Can it explain the reasons for this unjustified delay?

2. Does it not consider, given the deadline set by the regulation, that the least it can do, in terms of
transparency and efficiency, is to contact those directly concerned to explain the reasons for the delay?

3.

If the delay is due to staff shortages, could it not propose recruiting additional staff or using some of
the hundreds of ‘stagiaires’ who work at the Commission?

4. Does it not consider that, if the European Union is to be close to its citizens, it should show itself
the

responding to the requests of bodies,

individuals and institutions

more capable of
implementation of measures provided for in EU legislation?

for

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 February 2004)

We do not dispute the facts of the situation as described by the Honourable Member.

The time taken to process applications for registration lodged with us under Council Regulation
(EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical
indications and designations of
origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs has been increasing in recent months. Although twice as
many registrations were made in 2003 as in 2002, the number of applications being processed at any one
time has also been rising.

C 84 E/572

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

The assessment of applications involves internal consultations following one on another. Translations have
to be made and the legal and technical aspects are complex. It is not suitable work for ‘stagiaires’.

We are aware that the amount of time taken to process applications annoys applicants and are considering
what can be done to speed things up in future.

The registration application for Sant’ Andrea Piemonte was received by the Agriculture Directorate-General
on 27 May last year. Given the complexity of the questions that have to be dealt with when an application
is assessed, it cannot reasonably be considered that the processing time in this case is already excessive.

DG AGRI is in ongoing contact with the Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry Policies in Italy, the
Commission’s official interlocutor on these matters. The reasons why applications at present take such a
long time to be processed are not unknown to the Ministry. The rules allocate responsibilities between the
Commission and Member States in such a way that the Commission is not empowered to enter into direct
contact with the group making the application or any other person with a direct interest.

(2004/C 84 E/0649)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0323/04

by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 February 2004)

Subject: Stage reached in examining the territorial monopoly of German chimney-sweeps

According to a review carried out by the Directorate-General for Competition the territorial monopoly
enjoyed by German chimney-sweeps does not contravene European competition law. Nevertheless, the
Directorate-General for the Internal Market has launched investigations in the context of proceedings for
infringement of the Treaties. According to information received by the questioner the relevant hearings are
now being scheduled.

Can the Commission say:

1. whether the monopoly enjoyed by chimney-sweeps in the Federal Republic of Germany is a breach of

the freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services laid down in European law;

2. what stage has now been reached in the review procedure and/or Treaty infringement proceedings;

3. when a definitive decision can be expected and in what direction the deliberations of the Directorate-

General for the Internal Market in this area are pointing?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 2004)

The Commission considers that,

in particular, the district monopoly granted to master chimney-
1.
sweeps, together with various related provisions, infringes the right of establishment pursuant to Article 43
EC and the right to provide services pursuant to Article 49 EC,
insofar as this arrangement makes it
impossible for German citizens to avail themselves of the services of chimneys-sweeps established in other
Member States and prevents chimney-sweeps or heating specialists in other Member States from offering
their services in Germany.