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. Draft Italian law on equal access to information media during the election campaign.
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). C 170 E/86 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 This Directive stipulates in particular that, at the moment of notification, the draft should be is áat a stage of preparation at which substantial amendments can still be madeí (Article 1(12)), so that an examination of the text by the Commission and the other Member States can forestall any new obstacles to the free movement of on-line services within the internal market. Any adoption of national provisions as mentioned by the Honourable Members in violation of the obligation to provide prior notification under Directive 98/0034/EC, as modified by Directive 98/0048/ EC, would render them inapplicable and unenforceable. The Commission has not been notified of the bill in question under the above-mentioned Directive. (1) OJ C 27 E, 29. 1. 2000, p. 146. (2) OJ L 217, 5. 8. 1998. (2000/C 170 E/098) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1737/99 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (1 October 1999) Subject: Solid municipal waste management project in Galicia and Vilaboa transfer centre For the 1997-1999 period the Sogama project (1) for the management of solid municipal waste in Galicia was allocated ECU 155 238 273, 54,88 % of which would come from public funds (the Cohesion Fundís share being 85 %) and 45,12 % from the private sector. In the description of the project, particular emphasis is placed on minimising, re-using and recycling waste, but the project is in practice basically geared to incineration, a procedure to which most of the funding has been allocated. The Sogama project will lead to an increase in the amount of waste generated and does not include other public projects in Galicia which are based on minimisation, recovery and recycling. Furthermore, the Vilaboa transfer centre, which did not form part of the original project, will have to be sited in a valley which is highly suited to human habitation and which has been selected by the governing party in Galicia solely for political reasons. This will place an excessive material and environmental burden on the Vilaboa local authorities since the transfer centre will also serve towns and cities such as Vigo and Pontevedra. What is the Commission intending to do to prevent the Sogama project from being implemented under such conditions and to prevent the Vilaboa transfer centre from being set up? (1) OJ C 244, 27. 8. 1999, p. 11. Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (9 November 1999) Financed by the Cohesion Fund and more commonly referred to as the Sogama Projectí, Project 97/11/61/ 047 forms part of the plan for managing solid urban waste in Galicia which seeks to bring about a long- term improvement in the regionís deficiencies in this area. In order to achieve the planís specific goals, the Regional Government has devised a programme to minimise, re-use and recycle solid waste, supplemented by measures to enhance public awareness. The Sogama Project thus provides for the construction of a series of complex installations, which it would be difficult to carry through without the Communityís financial contribution. The other measures planned to achieve the objectives of the overall plan will be implemented by the national authorities, which are also responsible for incorporating any project or initiative that may contribute towards completion of the plan. However, to the presentation by those responsible for the project of periodical reports on overall progress. the Commission has made any financial payment subject