91998E3549

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3549/98

by Katerina Daskalaki (UPE) to the Commission

(1 December 1998)

Subject: Fees of private clinics in Greece

Public hospitals in Greece have raised their fees by 60-100 % and psychiatric clinics by 35 %; these fees are paid by the insurance funds. In contrast, the fees of general clinics in the private sector have been frozen for a period of six years despite repeated protests from the Greek Association of Private Clinics against such unfair treatment.

Is this situation consistent with the rules on competition and is there a means of eliminating these disparities?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(15 January 1999)

The Commission can inform the Honourable Member that possible anti-competitive practices which have consequences mainly for a national market have in principle to be examined by the authorities in that Member State under national competition law. The practices described by the Honourable Member appear to relate only to Greek hospitals and clinics, so the Greek competition authorities are the most appropriate authorities to deal with the her question.

As to the compatibility of the situation with competition rules, the Commission does not have sufficient information to allow it to take a position.