WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2942/98 by Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ Telephone charges in the Community of Madrid since the creation of a 'regular area' and the impact on consumers
C 320/16 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 11. 1999 Beatles tourism is a growing phenomenon, with several sites, including the Cavern Club, the Beatles Museum and Paul McCartney’s house, now attracting thousands of visitors and providing an opportunity for an annual Beatles festival; halls and manor houses such as Speke Hall and Croxteth Hall are among the finest in Europe; Does the Commission agree that it is important to highlight these assets? Joint answer to Written Questions E-2912/98 and E-2913/98 given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (10 November 1998) Although it is likely that there will be a European structural fund programme covering the Merseyside area after 1999, it is not yet certain that it will be an objective 1 programme. Adoption of the new list of objective 1 regions is not expected until the first half of 1999. Although image is not an economic driver in its own right, the Commission considers that positive developments in Merseyside’s image should indeed be highlighted by the regional partnership. The Commission provides technical assistance to help publicise the contribution of the structural funds to such developments under the current Merseyside programme and would expect this to continue under a future programme. The extent to which tourism might be a priority under a future programme for Merseyside will depend on how far local partners can commit themselves to a convincing strategy for creating good quality sustainable jobs in the sector. Strong partnership is essential to this kind of strategy, which calls for collective action to integrate tourism development with measures to encourage growth in cultural industries and the training of local people to raise standards and skills in the area. (1999/C 320/022) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2942/98 by Carlos Carnero González (PSE) to the Commission (8 October 1998) Subject: Telephone charges in the Community of Madrid since the creation of a ‘regular area’ and the impact on consumers In recent weeks, the difference in telephone charges introduced in the Community of Madrid by the Spanish telephone company, Telefónica, has provoked indignation amongst local councils and political, social and citizens’ groups, which see the move as arbitrary and highly detrimental to a large number of users. Telefónica has apparently divided the Community of Madrid into two areas the so-called ‘regular Madrid area’ (comprising the capital city and other towns) and the remainder of the region, which covers large towns such as Alcalá de Henares, Aranjuez and Arganda del Rey, boasting populations of 195 000, 41 000 and 30 000 respectively and sizeable industrial estates. The main drawback to the said system from the consumer’s viewpoint lies in the fact that calls made to the capital city or other towns within the ‘area’ from outside regardless of whether or not the point from which they are made also lies within the Community of Madrid are considerably more expensive, since they are deemed to be long-distance calls. This unfair and arbitrary situation affects some 650 000 people and thousands of undertakings. Estimates suggest that on the basis of the rates in force, private users outside the ‘regular area’ may pay 5 000 pesetas more per month on average than users within it, whilst undertakings in, say, Alcalá de Henares, may have to pay between two and nine times more. To add to this, the people affected are disgruntled at Telefónica’s inability to provide any kind of objective explanation for its decision to introduce the said ‘area’ and the resulting difference in charges