Briefe an. ..

07.12.2007

 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Health and Consumer Protection B-1049 BRUSSELS    Re Media Agreement between the European Union and Switzerland Dear Sir, Switzerland and the European Union have an agreement on Medias, which should be renewed now. It enables Swiss film productions to be shown in EU-countries. In the last moment of negotiations the EU delegation demanded from Switzerland that it should accept the EU Television without Frontiers Directive. We just got a revised law on radio and television where we could keep a ban on alcohol advertising in the national radio and tv stations. Now the EU Television without Frontiers Directive would mean for Switzerland, that it had to change the law and allow such alcohol advertising in foreign advertising-windows for Switzerland. Of course the national stations would immediately ask for the same right. And this is against our law since we have television advertising in Switzerland. Political and religious propaganda would also be alloud; that's also forbidden on Swiss national stations. Yesterday our small chamber of parliament, the Corporate Assembly of the cantons, has refused to accept this agreement and sent it back to the government for new negotiations with the EU. This is very positive, as this chamber is normally rather conservative. It also agreed a 26 Mio.CHF to pay to the EU till 2009. The agreement goes on till then on a provisory basis on the old conditions. On the 10th of December this agreement will be for discussion and vote in the big chamber, the National Assembly. I hope of course that it will act the same way. Now  my urgent appeal to you: You have so far shown a keen interest in reducing alcohol harm in the EU and I am very glad on that. Could you be so kind and try to influence EU officials who are in charge of this matter that they take this condition back. I think it would be to the benefit of EU-countries as well if the sensibility on the damage of alcohol promotion is rising there too on this occasion. I believe that I read in EU SANCO papers that your Commission wants to spread out the public health position in all other political fields of the EU. This would be a good example to do it. We still have a lot to do in order to make it well known: Alcohol is not an ordinary commodity. Please use this opportunity and help us. Thank you very much in advance.  Kind regards Hermann T. Meyer   Some links in this connection: http://www.alkoholpolitik.ch/  (Top aktuell, 7.12.07)               http://www.alkoholpolitik.ch/parladeb/parla_ue.htm, 7.12.07      Basler Zeitung online, 7.12.07: http://www.baz.ch/news/index.cfm?keyID=17CD2E0A-DF54-4CBB-95FF9E386784539B&startpage=5&ObjectID=AE920537-1422-0CEF-70DA222B323241AE             07.074 Programm Media 2007-2013. Abkommen mit der Europäischen Gemeinschaft: http://www.parlament.ch/ab/frameset/d/s/4801/259620/d_s_4801_259620_259624.htm