WRITTEN QUESTION E-1851/99 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission. External relations.
C 203 E/68 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 7. 2000 Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (19 November 1999) In reply to the fears expressed by the Honourable Member, there are at present no nuclear power projects in Morocco being financed by the Community. Were the Moroccan authorities to make a request of this kind, very strict conditions would obviously be laid down based on the precise rules regarding nuclear safety and subject to the approval of the competent departments and authorities. The Tan-Tan project concerns a demonstration unit for the desalination of sea water and not electricity generation. This unit is to be developed with cooperation from China and it will have a 10 megawatt reactor (NHR-10) with a production capacity of 8 000 cubic metres of fresh water per day. This project is being developed under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Morocco has concluded cooperation agreements with a specialised French body, the Direction de la sßretØ des installations nuclØaires (DSIN)í (Directorate for nuclear plant safety), in order to obtain assistance in analysing nuclear projects and for supervising and monitoring existing and future plant. (2000/C 203 E/083) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1851/99 by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission (13 October 1999) Subject: External relations Last Thursday, 16 September 1999, the Commission admitted that only a small portion of the TACIS Programme appropriations reach Russia; to be precise, only € 4 million of the € 140 million granted in aid under this programme reached the country. What mechanisms does the Commission intend to set up in order to prevent the recurrence of such situations? What is the timescale for implementing these mechanisms? Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1999) The Commissionís statement to the Parliament, on 16th September 1999 included the following: Community assistance is, as this house will know, primarily delivered through the TACIS programme which is centrally managed from Brussels. The funds concerned are predominantly used to pay Community firms to provide technical expertise and advice for Russia. Only a very small proportion of the funds therefore goes to Russia. Indeed it is only € 4 million of the total of € 140 million. That € 4 million is obviously directly managed by our representation in Moscow. In other words, virtually all the TACIS funding to Russia (some € 140 million per year) is not transferred to accounts in Russian banks, but rather, is used to pay Community firms to provide technical expertise and advice for Russia. These arrangements are usual for technical assistance programmes in transition countries. This does not mean that the benefits and results of the project do not reach Russia. It simply ensures some protection against funds going astray in Russia. 18. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 203 E/69 The remaining € 4 million mentioned in the statement concerns the Bistro facility, a small-scale project facility designed to provide a quick response to specific Russian needs. As a rule, the contracts are also signed with Community firms for providing technical assistance and expertise to their Russian partners. The only difference is that in this case the funds are managed by the Commission delegation in Russia, under the supervision of headquarters. It is hoped that this clarifies any misunderstanding about the Commissionís statement on 16th September 1999. (2000/C 203 E/084) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1852/99 by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Health and consumer protection (13 October 1999) On 7 September 1999 the 59th World Pharmacy Congress attended by over 3 000 delegates from all over the planet, took place in Barcelona. The Congressís conclusions included a denunciation of Internet sales of over 20 000 medicines without a doctorís prescription and no information whatever as to dosage, secondary effects or reactions with other pharmaceutical products. What measures is the Commission taking to eradicate this illegal trading, which poses a serious threat to the health of large numbers of Community citizens? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (22 November 1999) The Commission is aware of the problems relating to the sale of medicinal products via Internet. According to Council Directive 92/28/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the advertising of medicinal products for human use (1), Internet-selling of prescription drugs, narcotics and medicinal products without marketing in the Community. Article 14 of Directive 97/7/EC of the authorisation must be regarded as illegal Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 1997 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts (2), contains a Minimal clauseí, providing that Member States may introduce or maintain a ban, in the general interest, on the marketing of certain goods or services, particularly medicinal products, within their territory by means of distance contracts, with due regard for the EC Treaty. Even though the above legislation provides a clear legal basis to combat illegal practices in the Community, the Commission is aware that the global character of the Internet raises the question of how enforceable that legal framework is in practice. Following a proposal from the Commission, the pharmaceutical committee, at its 48th meeting on 27-28 September 1999, established an ad-hoc working group on the implications of electronic commerce on the delivery of pharmaceuticals to patients and asked this working group to consider the effectiveness of existing means of safeguarding public health in the light of the increased potential offered by the Internet for access to pharmaceuticals from outside the Community and potential developments within the Community in information technology. The working group will seek to prepare concrete lines of action for discussion at the pharmaceutical committee and to reflect on the role and position to be taken by the Community vis-à-vis third countries and in international organisations such as the World Health Organisation. The working group will be made up of representatives from European institutions, Member States and representatives from other interested parties including patient and consumer associations, physician and pharmacist associations and industry associations. Following receipt of all nominations, a first meeting will be convened in early 2000. (1) OJ L 113, 30. 4. 1992. (2) OJ L 144, 4. 6. 1997