WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3124/98 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Oligopolies and milk market in Italy
15. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 297/49 The selection process timetable adopted for the placement and exchange programme under strand I 3. allows young people following a one-year basic training course to participate in a short-duration Leonardo da Vinci programme. It is in fact possible to submit applications before the start of basic training courses, and promoters do make use of this possibility in practice. 4. The Leonardo da Vinci programme has introduced decentralised management of strand I mobility programmes in (at the moment) 24 countries. This arrangement has been operating satisfactorily for several years. It is not a question of organisations playing an intermediary role; it is the NCUs themselves which are responsible for managing mobility programmes. The Commission’s proposal for the establishing of the second phase of the Leonardo da Vinci programme from the year 2000 includes simplification and further decentralisation of programme management and measures in order to improve access to the programme. (1999/C 297/064) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3124/98 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (16 October 1998) Subject: Oligopolies and milk market in Italy The milk market in Italy seems to be dominated by an oligopoly formed by two or three big names. When municipal milk marketing boards were privatised these few names managed to offer very large sums with which rival associations of agricultural producers were unable to compete. For one northern Italian board more than three times the reserve price was paid. It is evident that it is the consumers that will have to pay, and so-called quality milk will cost a small fortune although the difference in price is not justified by the difference in quality. Can the Commission answer the following: 1. Is it aware of this situation? 2. Could it go into the dynamics of the market and check the possibility of basic competition? 3. How can an oligopoly situation guarantee the interests of consumers in the use of an essential basic foodstuff? 4. Can it confirm whether it has investigated the acquisition of the Rome milk marketing board? Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (20 November 1998) 1. to 3. The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that it is unaware of any business practices on the Italian milk market that could be caught by Article 85 or 86 of the EC Treaty. It would point out in this connection that an oligopoly situation is not in itself contrary to either article. It can therefore intervene on an oligopolistic market only in cases where it has in its possession particulars showing that businesses are conducting themselves in a manner contrary to Articles 85 and 86. 4. The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that it decided on 25 March 1998 to institute proceedings under Article 93(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of aid granted for the privatisation of Centrale del Latte di Roma. It is currently examining the comments received from interested parties. In accordance with the procedure under Article 93(2), it will then take a final decision on the aid in question