WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3321/98 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Council. Trial of Cuban dissidents for whom 'the motherland belongs to everybody'
C 182/66 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 6. 1999 (1999/C 182/084) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3318/98 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (10 November 1998) Subject: Information about genetic manipulation in advertising 1. What measures is the Commission planning to take to ensure that advertising informs consumers about the genetic manipulation of soya and maize and other novel food products? 2. Does the Commission share the Members’ view that information about genetic manipulation should be provided at the advertising stage, thus satisfying consumers’ desire for information and transparency on this issue? Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (5 January 1999) The information that must be supplied under Council Directive 79/112/EEC (on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer) (1) / e. g. the list of ingredients / does not extend to the area of advertising. Only the requirement contained in that Directive’s Article 2 that labelling contents and methods must not be such as might mislead the purchaser also applies to advertising. The Commission does not at present envisage departing from this principle and making it obligatory for advertising to included information on any genetic manipulation of the advertised foodstuff or of its ingredients. The labels of foodstuffs remain, in the Commission’s view, the appropriate place to inform consumers on a product’s various properties. (1) OJ L 33, 8. 2. 1979. (1999/C 182/085) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3321/98 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Council (10 November 1998) Subject: Trial of Cuban dissidents for whom ‘the motherland belongs to everybody’ In its reply of 8 June 1998 to Written Question E-0975/98 (1), the Council referred to the declaration by the European Union calling for the release of, amongst others, four members of the Internal Dissidence Working Group, co-authors of a text entitled ‘The Motherland Belongs To Everybody. ’ After a fourteen-month detention in prison, they have finally been charged under legal proceedings brought by the Cuban Government, with the request that they serve five- or six-year prison sentences. Does the Council intend to monitor this case closely, keep Parliament duly informed, and continue pressing for reform of the Cuban civil code to help individuals whose sole crime has been to have ‘peacefully expressed their political views?’ (1) OJ C 304, 2. 10. 1998, p. 162