WRITTEN QUESTION E-1828/99 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission. Smoking as a cause of ill-health in the world and EU policy.
18. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 203 E/59 Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (25 November 1999) Member States differ widely in their internal structures. Under Article 203 (formerly Article 146) of the EC Treaty, they are free to choose their representatives in the Council to suit their own particular circumstances. (2000/C 203 E/071) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1825/99 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council (13 October 1999) Subject: Reforming the Amsterdam Treaty so as to make job creation policy a European policy Given that within the European Union there is a correlation between low per capita income and unemployment in the sense that in general it is precisely those areas which are less developed which most frequently suffer from high rates of unemployment, does the Council intend, in the context of the Intergovernmental Conference, to tackle a reform of the Amsterdam Treaty which would go beyond Articles 125 to 130 thereof and make job creation policy a European policy, along the lines of regional policy? Answer (24 January 2000) It is for the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, and not the Council, to determine by common accord the amendments to be made to the Treaties. The Council reiterates that a Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States will be convened at the start of the year 2000. In accordance with the conclusions of the Cologne European Council, the purpose of that Conference will be to resolve the institutional issues left open in Amsterdam that need to be settled before enlargement (namely, the size and composition of the European Commission, weighting of votes in the Council and possible extension of qualified-majority voting in the Council). Other necessary amendments to the Treaties arising as regards the European Institutions in connection with the above issues and in implementing the Treaty of Amsterdam, could also be discussedí (point 53 in fine of the Presidency conclusions of the Cologne European Council on 3 and 4 June 1999). (2000/C 203 E/072) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1828/99 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission (13 October 1999) Subject: Smoking as a cause of ill-health in the world and EU policy Apart from causing cancer, fatal heart disease and a host of other illnesses, smoking is now being blamed for male impotence in smokers between the ages of 21 and 75, according to studies by the BMA. At the same time, research by the Athens Medical School has revealed that medical students are unaware of the harmful effects of smoking and that one in two smokes regularly. It should be pointed out that in Greece alone the number of young smokers increases by some 50 000 a year. In the EU the tobacco industry spends as much in one day alone on advertising its products as is spent in one year on information campaigns against smoking. In view of the above, will the Commission say what action is it taking, what resources does it have available and what policy is it pursuing in order to address the prime cause of ill-health that can be tackled and protect the health of European citizens and young people in particular? C 203 E/60 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 7. 2000 Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (24 November 1999) In December 1996, the Commission published a communication (1) with a view to contributing to an investigation of existing and future strategies to combat tobacco consumption across the EU and in the individual Member States in order to reduce the impact of tobacco on public health in Europe. In September 1999, the Commission published a report (2) on action taken by the Commission at Community level since the publication of its communication in 1996. The action taken by the Commission to finance projects to combat tobacco consumption can be divided into two general parts: 1. Under Decision No 646/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 March 1996 adopting an action plan to combat cancer within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996 to 2000) (3), which relates to the third action plan to combat cancer, the Commission is subsidising, first and foremost, two major prevention networks: the first, which is of a general nature, is the European Network for Smoking Prevention (4); the second, which is targeted at young people, is the European Network on Young People and Tobacco (5). These two networks coordinate prevention programmes at European level. In 1998, € 2 million worth of subsidies were provided, which will rise to over € 3 million in 1999. The entire programme will have a budget of € 14 million in 1999. 2. A Community fund for tobacco research was established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco (6), most recently amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1636/98 (7). This fund is used by the Commission to finance, among other things, projects concerning the health risk posed by tobacco consumption. The projects which receive support are largely targeted at young people. This fund, which was financed by a deduction of 1 % from the producersí premium, was doubled at the beginning of the 1999 harvest. As far as the advertising of tobacco products is concerned, it should be pointed out that television advertising is prohibited by 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 (8). In addition, the other forms of advertising and sponsor- ship are governed by Directive 98/43/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 (9). (1) COM(96) 609 final. (2) COM(1999) 407 final. (3) OJ L 95, 16. 4. 1996. (4) RØseau EuropØen pour la PrØvention du Tabagisme ü European Network for Smoking Prevention (REPT-ENSP) ü rue de Pascale, 48, 1040 Brussels, Belgium. (5) RØseau EuropØen Jeunes et Tabac ü European Network on Young People and Tobacco (ENYPAT) ü National Public Health Institute (KTL), Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland. (6) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992. (7) OJ L 210, 28. 7. 1998. (8) OJ L 298, 17. 10. 1989. (9) OJ L 213, 30. 7. 1998. (2000/C 203 E/073) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1832/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (13 October 1999) Subject: Six-month postponement of legal obligations for the Attika Operational Programme For the Attika Operational Programme and for other programmes under the second Community Support Framework for Greece, 31. 12. 1999 has been set as the final deadline for meeting legal obligations. Given the exceptional conditions created by the catastrophic earthquake in Greece, there is a risk that the awarding of contracts, invitations to tender, competitions, etc. may not be able to be completed before this date. This will probably result in the loss of funding