WRITTEN QUESTION E-1731/99 by W.G. van Velzen (PPE-DE) to the Council. Imprisoned Moldovan Parliamentarian Ilie Ilascu.
C 170 E/84 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1999) The Honourable Member is referred to the Commissionís report (1) of September 1999 describing the measures it has taken at Community level since publication of its 1996 communication (2). Many of these measures are specifically related to the Honourable Memberís question. The research and information fund set up in 1994, in conjunction with the reform of the common agricultural policy, by Council Regulation (EEC) 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco (3), applied in accordance with Commission Regulation (EEC) 2427/93 (4), has been boosted by increasing the levy imposed on tobacco growers as a contribution to the fund from 1 % to 2 %. Concerning tax on tobacco products, Council Directive 1999/0081/EC was adopted on 29 July 1999, amending Directive 92/0079/EEC on the approximation of taxes on cigarettes, Directive 92/0080/EEC on the approximation of taxes on manufactured tobacco other than cigarettes and Directive 95/0059/EC on taxes other than turnover taxes which affect the consumption of manufactured tobacco (5). In 1997, the Commission asked all Member States for information on their policies regarding additives contained in cigarettes. The analysis of the replies reveals a considerable measure of disparity between the rules in force and sets out the legal situation in the Member States concerning tobacco additives. This situation should be taken into account in all future Community legislation. Since adoption of Directive 98/0043/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products (6), the Commission has been re-examining the directives in force concerning tobacco product labelling and the maximum tar contents of cigarettes. Given the proposals set out in the communication, in the opinions of the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee and in the recommendations of the high-level committee of cancer experts, and in the light of the observations made by the industry and non-governmental organisations, this re-examination is now at an end. The resulting proposal will be sent to Parliament and to the Council as soon as it is adopted by the Commission. (1) COM(1999) 407 final. (2) COM(96) 609 final. (3) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992. (4) OJ L 223, 2. 9. 1993. (5) OJ L 211, 11. 8. 1999. (6) OJ L 213, 30. 7. 1998. (2000/C 170 E/096) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1731/99 by W. G. van Velzen (PPE-DE) to the Council (30 September 1999) Subject: Imprisoned Moldovan Parliamentarian Ilie Ilascu The Moldovan Parliamentarian Mr Ilie Ilascu is being held in prison without far trial in the breakaway Moldovan province of Transdniester. The self-styled Soviet Republic of Transdniester, with the support of the Russian Fourteenth Army, has imprisoned non-Russian ethnic leaders, among whom the most prominent is Mr Ilascu. Will the Foreign Ministers raise this issue in the next meeting of the EU-Russia Cooperation Council and report to Parliament? 20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/85 Reply (2 December 1999) is closely following the human rights situation in Transnistria, notably the case of the The Council Moldovan Parliamentarian Mr Ilie Ilascu. The EU-Troika of senior officials raised the issue of Mr Ilascu with the Transnistrian authorities during its visit to Tiraspol on 15 October 1999. The wider issue of Transnistria has been raised at the recent Ministerial Troika with Russia in Moscow on 7 October, but is not on the agenda agreed between the EU and Russia for the forthcoming summit. The Council will use every other appropriate occasion to press for an early retrial of Mr Ilascu and will keep the European Parliament duly informed. (2000/C 170 E/097) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1734/99 by Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE), Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE), Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) and Stefano Zappalà (PPE-DE) to the Commission (29 September 1999) Subject: Draft Italian law on equal access to information media during the election campaign Does the Commission consider that, having regard to the free movement of services within the internal market, the bill presented by the Italian Prime Minister, Mr DíAlema, and Minister for Communications, Mr Cardinale, and forwarded to the Senate on 23 August 1999 (Senate act No 4197) entitled Provisions on equal access to the information media during the election and referendum campaign and on political broadcastsí, containing various provisions to regulate political and electoral information and publicity other than radio and television broadcasts using ánetwork servicesí (articles 1,3,4,10) falls within the scope of Community Directive 98/0048/EC (1)? If so, does it consider that the bill complies with the requirements of the Community rules with regard to giving adequate notice and related provisions? Under the directive in question, each Member State of the European Union is obliged to notify the Commission of any draft national law or regulation that seeks to regulate áinformation society servicesí, which includes electronic services. As the services in question are provided in return for remuneration, the forms of publicity referred to in the national legislation in question fall within the scope of the Treaty of Rome and hence of Directive 98/0048/EC. (1) OJ L 217, 5. 8. 1998, p. 18. Answer by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (11 November 1999) As already mentioned in the answer to Mr Tajaniís written question P-1608/99 (1), to which the Honourable Members are referred, the bill alluded to contains, at least according to the information currently available, articles designed explicitly to govern political and campaign advertising in on-line services. Since, as is correctly pointed out in the question, the provisions of the bill concern information society services, before they are definitively adopted at national level they must be submitted in good time to the Commission in a formal notification under Directive 98/0048/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 July 1998 amending Directive 98/0034/EC laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (2)