WRITTEN QUESTION E-0470/00 by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission. Programmes, Community projects and European initiatives in the Île-de-France region.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/169 (2000/C 330 E/191) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0470/00 by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission (24 February 2000) Subject: Programmes, Community projects and European initiatives in the ˛le-de-France region Can the Commission draw up an exhaustive list of the various European programmes and projects or Community initiatives of which the ˛le-de-France region is a beneficiary ü indicating to what extent ü by virtue of its associate status? Can it also give a full list of European programmes and initiatives organised for the various bodies situated in the ˛le-de-France region, that is to say research centres, associations, universities, municipalities and other bodies organisations, indicating to what extent each of them benefit? Supplementary joint answer to Written Questions E-0469/00 and E-0470/00 given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (5 May 2000) Because of the length of the answer, which includes a number of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. (2000/C 330 E/192) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0472/00 by BØatrice Patrie (PSE) to the Commission (24 February 2000) Subject: Access to ágenericí pharmaceuticals The procedures for authorising the marketing of pharmaceuticals in certain Member States effectively prevent the registration of cheap ágenericí products if the pharmaceutical company manufacturing the original product has withdrawn its licence for the product for commercial reasons and replace it with a substitute. This places the consumer in a particularly unfavourable position and is based on a questionable interpretation of Council Directive 65/65/EEC (1) and, in particular, Article 4(8)(a)(iii). This obstacle to the registration of ágenericí pharmaceuticals is entirely contrary to the stated policy of the Commission set out sector (COM(98) 588), Parliamentís position as set out in the Read Report (A4-0205/1999) and that of the Council as set out in its resolution of 18 May 1999, all of which call for better access for consumers to ágenericí pharmaceuticals. in its communication on the internal market in the pharmaceutical What specific action will pharmaceuticals? the Commission take to end this obstacle to the availability of ágenericí What measures will the Commission take to ensure that ágenericí pharmaceuticals can be registered, even if the pharmaceutical company which manufactured the original product has withdrawn its licence in favour of a similar product for reasons which are not dictated by public health considerations? (1) OJ 22, 9. 2. 1965, p. 369. Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (23 March 2000) The availability of generic pharmaceuticals is one of the Commissionís main priorities, as set out in various documents. The Commission is keen to implement this policy and is drafting recommendations based on various judgements of the Court of Justice which allow an interpretation more favourable to generic pharmaceuticals