WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3476/98 by Luisa TODINI , Claudio AZZOLINI to the Council. Right to a fair trial
C 182/88 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 6. 1999 If it is, can it state, in as much detail as possible, what these studies, proposals, initiatives or legislative measures are? Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (5 January 1999) The Commission considers that the current legal situation concerning the distribution of medicinal products and pharmaceutical services is by and large satisfactory. However, as the Commission communication on the single market in pharmaceuticals (1) has noted, the pharmacy service in many Member States accounts for over 25 % of the final cost (excluding taxation) of a pharmaceutical. It may be only a matter of time ( and ability to enter the market) before new systems for delivering products to the consumer ’ particularly through the increasing possibilities of electronic commerce ’ cause regulators to consider what savings might be made in this part of their expenditure on pharmaceuticals. As a contribution to considering these, and related, issues, the Commission has commissioned a study on electronic commerce in the pharmaceutical sector. This was discussed for the first time at the round table on completing the single market in pharmaceuticals, held in Paris on 7 December 1998. (1) COM(98) 588 final. (1999/C 182/115) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3476/98 by Luisa Todini (PPE) and Claudio Azzolini (PPE) to the Council (24 November 1998) Subject: Right to a fair trial The Constitutional Court of the Italian Republic issued a ruling on 2 November stating that Article 513 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, passed by the Italian Parliament by an overwhelming majority in July 1997, was in part unlawful. In view of the fact that this ruling, which applies retroactively, has made it virtually impossible for trials to be conducted on an adversarial basis (a principle that safeguards the right of the accused to a proper defence, and is sanctioned by Article 6 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights) can the Council prevail upon the Italian Government to restore this principle which is one of the fundamental components of a fair trial? Reply (22 and 23 February 1999) The Council of the European Union is not competent to deal with the matter raised by the Honourable Member of the European Parliament. (1999/C 182/116) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3487/98 by Anne McIntosh (PPE) to the Council (24 November 1998) Subject: European Union publicity material Will the Council of Ministers please indicate the cost of the publicity material currently being distributed to British schools concerning the European Union and who bears this cost?