91997E3300

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3300/97 by Angela Sierra González (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (20 October 1997)

Subject: UK import limits on products originating in the Canaries

The British Government's Medicines Control Agency has informed that country's importers that the Canary Islands do not belong to the European Union. For that reason, a series of measures have been established in the UK limiting parallel imports of pharmaceutical products from the Islands.

This outrageous state of affairs constitutes an assault on the Canary Islands community's exercise of Community freedoms within the European Union, and any other EU territories.

Is the Commission aware of the facts in question?

What measures does the Commission intend to take with regard to this infringement of the principle of freedom of movement of goods between territories which belong to the EU on an equal footing?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (15 January 1998)

Before the facts referred to by the Honourable Member can be assessed, it is necessary to know the reasons why the Medicines Control Agency refused to allow parallel imports of pharmaceutical specialities from another Member State to be marketed in the United Kingdom.

If the Agency's refusal is based on tax considerations, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to Written Question E-1956/93 by Mr Sanchez Garcia ((OJ C 219, 8.8.1994. )).

If the reasons given do not relate to tax and given that the Canary Islands form part of the customs territory of the Community, a refusal by the United Kingdom authorities to allow imports of pharmaceutical products might be regarded as an obstacle to intra-Community trade that is in breach of Article 30 of the EC Treaty.

Before looking into the matter more closely, the Commission would like to have more detailed information regarding the reasons for the refusal. It would therefore ask the Honourable Member to contact it in order to clarify the situation.