WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1929/97 by Salvador GARRIGA POLLEDO to the Commission. Enlargement of the European Union
25. 2. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 60/67 (98/C 60/100) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1925/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (4 June 1997) Subject: Sugar subsidies granted to pharmaceutical companies Why does the EU grant subsidies to pharmaceutical companies for the use of sugar in their products? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (23 June 1997) The arrangements introduced by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1010/86 of 25 March 1986, laying down general rules for the production refund on certain sugar products used in the chemical industry (1), reinforced the production refund rules which have applied in the Community in various forms throughout the period since the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector was set up in 1968. Among the various improvements introduced by this Regulation was one to extend the scope of the rules to include all of the pharmaceutical products covered by Chapter 30 of the combined nomenclature. In doing so, the Council recognized the important outlet that the pharmaceutical industry represents for the Communityís sugar markets which, as the Honourable Member is aware, are in surplus. For the latest 1995/1996 marketing year, for example, this outlet was responsible for 52 873 tonnes out of the total of 246 382 tonnes of sugar sector products on which production refunds were granted. The production refunds enable, in particular, the pharmaceutical undertakings concerned to remain competitive with their counterparts located outside the Community. It should furthermore be borne in mind that sugar, because of its purity and other special properties, remains virtually the only possible raw material for use in the majority of pharmaceutical industry applications. The Commission would also like to emphasize that the expenditure on the production refunds is borne by the beet growers and the manufacturers of sugar, isoglucose and inulin syrup, through the twice-yearly payment of production levies which are collected in accordance with the self-financing rules applicable in the sugar sector. (1) OJ L 94, 9. 4. 1986. (98/C 60/101) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1929/97 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE) to the Commission (4 June 1997) Subject: Enlargement of the European Union Is it consistent with the Treaty on European Union signed by the 15 Member States to put the objective of enlargement of the European Union ahead of the goal of achieving economic and social cohesion in the European Union? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (3 July 1997) The strengthening of economic and social cohesion appears among the objectives that the Community under Article 2 of the EC Treaty and the title XIV of this same treaty in its Articles 130 A with E pursues. In addition, the Treaty on European Union in its Article O stipulates that Any European state can ask to become member of the Union. The conditions of the admission and adaptations that this admission involves with regard to the treaties on which the Union is based are the subject of an agreement between the Member States and the applicant state. í