91998E0931

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0931/98 by Riitta Myller (PSE), Reino Paasilinna (PSE), Pertti Paasio (PSE) and Jörn Donner (PSE) to the Commission (26 March 1998)

Subject: The Commission and freedom of expression

It has come to our notice that the Commission has written to object to the TV series which appeared on Finland's Yleisradio TV 1st channel entitled '30 FIM per week creates 30 000 jobs a year'. The series was intended for the general public and its aim was to describe the employment effect of demand for products produced in Finland.

Under the principles of the EU's internal market, goods, services and persons must be able to move freely within the borders of the Community. However, it is not possible to use these provisions to interfere with the freedom of expression in a Member State, as was clearly the case in the above-mentioned contact with the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry.

How does the Commission intend to ensure that it does not attempt in future, relying on the rules of the single market or on any other grounds, to restrict the enjoyment of free expression in the Member States? The freedom of expression is one of the central principles of the European concept of democracy and thus also of the European Union.

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (5 June 1998)

The Commission is conducting a detailed investigation of the problem raised by the Honourable Member and will inform him of the outcome as soon as possible.