WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3148/98 by Rainer WIELAND to the Council. Proposal for a directive concerning the prohibition of the advertising of cars and other products
14. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 135/173 Taking into account the relatively limited funds available, the Commission has to identify priorities in areas which can reasonably be tackled. Large-scale material assistance to the public health sector as a whole being unfortunately an unrealistic goal and beyond available resources, the Commission has decided to concentrate its efforts on operations in the above-mentioned fields. Currently, the Commission is examining the feasibility of further expanding its tuberculosis treatment programmes, one of the most urgent public health priorities at this moment. (1999/C 135/215) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3148/98 by Rainer Wieland (PPE) to the Council (19 October 1998) Subject: Proposal for a directive concerning the prohibition of the advertising of cars and other products Is it true, as claimed in several press reports (including one by the Bild am Sonntag on 19 July 1998), that the Council is considering the possibility of prohibiting or restricting the advertising of motor vehicles? If so, in what form are these deliberations taking place, and what action is the Council planning? Is the Council also considering the possibility of prohibiting the advertising of any other products or services? If so, in what form are these deliberations taking place, and what action is the Council planning? Reply (20/21 December 1998) The Council has to date received no proposal from the Commission for a Directive prohibiting or restricting the advertísing of motor vehicles. As the Honourable Member must certainly be aware, Codes of Conduct, applied on a voluntary basis in certain Member States, encourage advertising agencies and the motor vehicle industry to limit advertising which is considered likely to act as an incentive to motorists to drive dangerously. The Council is not aware of any Commission initiatives to introduce such a code on a Community scale or, a fortiori, to propose mandatory provisions. (1999/C 135/216) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3150/98 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (16 October 1998) Subject: Renewable energy sources and wind farms Wind farms make a valuable contribution to producing clean forms of energy. However, setting up wind farms to exploit the potential wind power of a given area should not be detrimental to the natural environment or residential areas. Nevertheless, attempts are often are made to set up wind farms on sites adjoining permanent or summer residences, which spoil the landscape and probably create noise which emanates from the wind-powered generators. What action will the Commission take to compel the Member States to set up wind farms in such a way that the environment is not spoiled by haphazard sites?