WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3862/98 by Joan COLOM I NAVAL to the Commission. Television advertising
C 207/138 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 7. 1999 (1999/C 207/187) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3862/98 by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission (9 December 1998) Subject: Television advertising The ‘Television without frontiers’ Directive regulates, among other things, television advertising, specifically as regards commercial breaks during programmes or films. Can the Commission say whether the Member States and Spain in particular are complying with the Directive or any other rules that might apply? Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (4 February 1999) Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (1) (Television without Frontiers Directive) contains provisions on the amount of advertising transmission time permissible on television (hourly and daily limits, Article 18), the number and manner of advertising interruptions (Article 11), and the content and presentation of advertisements (Articles 10 to 16). There are also specific rules on sponsorship (Article 17). A number of complaints have been referred to the Commission regarding the alleged failure in some Member States to comply with advertising rules. These complaints, which are generally lodged by consumer associations, relate to the systematic exceeding of authorised transmission times. More specifically, the problems concern the practices in certain broadcasting organisations, in Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal. The Commission is in the process of gathering the necessary information to assess the extent to which these alleged excesses could constitute infringements by the Member States concerned, in order to take the appropriate measures if necessary. (1) OJ L 298, 17. 10. 1989. (1999/C 207/188) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3874/98 by Raimo Ilaskivi (PPE) to the Commission (4 January 1999) Subject: Report on EU aid for Yasser Arafat According to an EU report which has been leaked to the public, aid approved by the European Union to provide support for poor districts in Gaza and the West Bank may have been used to build homes for close associates of Yasser Arafat. The report claims that as much as FM 115 million has been spent on unexplained projects. What measures does the Commission plan to take to check the truth of the allegations made in the report referred to above? And what steps does it plan to take to demand the return of misappropriated EU aid should the suspicions be confirmed? Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (12 February 1999) The Community is the first world donor to the Palestinians. The Community budget and the Member States provide 54 % of total assistance to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Some press articles have recently questioned the way in which one Community financed project has been implemented, concerning support given to the Palestinian housing council (PHC)