WRITTEN QUESTION E-2271/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. The sale of pharmaceutical products on Internet.
C 219 E/136 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (11 January 2000) In preparing its proposal for a directive on national emission ceilings (1) the Commission performed an extensive analysis of costs and benefits of its strategy to combat ground-level ozone (and acidification). In the model simulations which were part of this analysis the varying natural factors influencing the ozone formation in particular in southern Europe were fully taken into account, as well as the country-specific costs for requisite emission control measures. The cost-benefit analysis of the proposal showed that benefits were higher than costs for all Member States including Greece. If one takes account of cost savings for Greece because of further emission reductions by neighbouring third countries, as laid down in the recently signed protocol under the United Nations (UN) Economic commission for Europe (ECE) Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, the surplus of benefits against costs would be even higher. Results of a case study on the situation in Athens show that implementation of the emission ceilings would bring tangible reductions of ozone concentrations by 2010, despite the special climatic conditions in this area. If accompanied by additional efforts on the local level further improvements can be achieved in terms of even lower ozone concentrations. As part of regional programmes in the framework of the Community structural funds financial aid for measures to control emissions of pollutants could be provided. There have been examples of financing such measures in Greece. The Commission is currently negotiating the new Community support framework for Greece under which funding of control measures against air pollution is considered. (1) COM(1999) 125 final, completed by SEC(1999) 2004. (2000/C 219 E/171) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2271/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: The sale of pharmaceutical products on Internet (13 December 1999) The availability of pharmaceutical products for sale on Internet is causing concern and raising questions among not only the experts in the field (doctors, pharmacists) but also among consumers in general. These concerns relate to the safe use of pharmaceutical products, the distribution of banned substances and the compilation of data from patientsí medical files by bodies which are not authorised to do so. Can the Commission indicate the extent to which pharmaceutical products are now being sold over the Internet? What steps will it take to protect consumers in general and patients in particular from this method of selling pharmaceutical products? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (10 January 2000) According to the information available to the Commission, it is currently not possible to obtain reliable quantitative data on the amount of medicinal products which are sold via the internet in the Community. On all other points raised by the Honourable Member, the Commission would refer to the answer to written question E-1852/99 by Mr Valdivielso de Cue (1) on the sale of medicinal products via Internet. (1) OJ C 203 E, 18. 7. 2000, p. 69