22. Callsforthelegalframeworktoenshrinetheprinciplethat,whatevermeansofpaymentisused,the
fullamountspecifiedinthepaymentordermustbecreditedtotherecipient’saccountwithoutdeductionunlesstherecipienthasexpresslyenteredintoadifferentarrangementwithhisbank,inwhichcasetheamountandtypeofdeductionmustbedisclosedtotherecipient;
23. Welcomes the Commission proposal, regarding Special Recommendation VII of the Financial
ActionTaskForceonMoneyLaundering,todefinetheEuropeanUnionasanintegratedlegalframework;takestheview,however,thatthresholdvaluesshouldbeintroducedforcashtransfers;notesthat‘effectiverisk-basedprocedures…toidentifyanytransfers…whichlacktherequiredoriginatorinformation’aretechnicallyimpossibletoachieve;
24. Urgesthebankingindustrytoenhanceon-linebankingsecuritycontinually,incollaborationwith
theITindustryandsupervisoryauthorities,andtogivecustomerscomprehensibleinformationaboutrisks
andtheprecautionstobetaken;
25. Recognisesthebenefitthatareductioninthemaximumexecutiontimeforcredittransfersfromsix
workingdaystothreeworkingdayswouldbringtoconsumers;agreeswiththeCommission,however,thatnon-eurocross-bordercredittransfersarenottechnicallyreadytobeputonthesamelevelascredittransfersexecutedineuros,althoughnon-eurocross-bordertransfersshouldaimtoreachthesamelevelassoonaspossible;
26. Welcomesanyalternativedisputeresolutionarrangementsthatmighthelptoavertprotractedliti-
gation;considersthatifvoluntarydisputeresolutionfailstosettledisputesquicklyandcannotsecureeffective complaint and redress procedures for consumers, dispute resolution arrangements should bemadecompulsoryintheMemberStatesandatEuropeanlevel;
27. InstructsitsPresidenttoforwardthisresolutiontotheCouncilandCommission.
P5_TA(2004)0349
Integratedproductpolicy
EuropeanParliamentresolutiononthecommunicationfromtheCommissiontotheCounciland
theEuropeanParliamentonIntegratedProductPolicy/dashBuildingonEnvironmentalLife-Cycle
Thinking(COM(2003)302/dashC5-0550/2003/dash2003/2221(INI))
TheEuropeanParliament ,
/dash havingregardtothecommunicationfromtheCommissiontotheCouncilandtheEuropeanParlia-
ment(COM(2003)302/dashC5-0550/2003),
/dash havingregardtotheSixthCommunityEnvironmentalActionProgramme(1),
/dash havingregardtotheFifthandSixthFrameworkProgrammesforCommunityResearch,Technological
DevelopmentandDemonstrationActivities,
/dash having regard tothe Lisbon Processlaunched by the Göteborg European Councilon15/16June
2001,
/dash havingregardtoDirective98/4/ECoftheEuropeanParliamentandoftheCouncilof16February
1998amendingDirective93/38/EECcoordinatingtheprocurementproceduresofentitiesoparatinginthewater,energy,transportandtelecommunicationssectors(
2),
/dash havingregardtotheproposalforaDirectiveoftheEuropeanParliamentandoftheCouncilestablish-
ingaframeworkforthesettingofEco-designrequirementsforEnergy-UsingProductsandamendingCouncilDirective92/42/EEC(COM(2003)453),
(1) OJL242,10.9.2002,p.1.
(2) OJL101,1.4.1998,p.1.30.4.2004EN C104E/725 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
/dash havingregardtothecommunicationfromtheCommissiontotheCouncilandtheEuropeanParlia-
ment:TowardsaThematicStrategyontheSustainableuseofNaturalResources(COM(2003)572)andtheCommunicationfromtheCommissiontotheCouncilandtheEuropeanParliamentonstimulatingtechnologiesforsustainabledevelopment:anEnvironmentalTechnologiesActionPlanfortheEuro-peanUnion(COM(2004)38),
/dash havingregardtoRules47(2)and163ofitsRulesofProcedure,/dash havingregardtothereportoftheCommitteeontheEnvironment,PublicHealthandConsumerPolicy
(A5-0261/2004),
A. whereaseconomiesarelikeecosystems:bothsystemstakeinenergyandmaterialsandturntheminto
productsandprocesses,thedifferencebeingthatoureconomyfollowslinearresourceflowswhereasnatureiscyclic;whereas,againstthebackdropofrapidlygrowingeconomiesandpopulations,pro-ductionandproductsthatleadtowastestreamswhichnaturecannotabsorborwhichcannotbe
turnedintonewresourcesareincreasinglyproblematicfromthepointofviewofsustainability,
B. whereasthechangesinthebiosphereinducedbyhumansocietyarewidespread,
C. whereasincrementalpolicystepshaveledtoimprovements,butrealprogresstowardssustainable
developmentcannotbeachievedthroughsuchmeasuresalone,
D. whereasexceedingthecarryingcapacityoftheearthcanhelpsocietytemporarilytoraisematerial
livingstandardsbut,atthesametime,putsournaturalcapitalinseriousdecline;whereaslimitationstoprosperityinthefuturewillbedeterminedbynaturalcapitalratherthanindustrialinnovationand
skills,
E. whereastheinterestsofcommerceandtheenvironmentneednotbeinconflict;recognisingatthe
sametimethatsustainedeconomicprosperityinthefuturewillonlybepossibleinamarket-based
systemin which allformsofcapital, including natural capital, are fullyvalued,andthe costsofdamagetohumanhealthandtheenvironmentarefullyinternalisedintoproductprices,
F. whereasatransformationofthepresentsystemofproductionandconsumptionisurgentlyneeded;
whereasthemainobjectiveistoredirectconsumptioninasustainabledirectionandbringthepro-cessesofrawmaterialextraction,productionandproductdesignasmuchintolinewithnaturalpro-cessesanddesignsaspossible,
G. whereassocietydependsprimarilyonproductsmadeupofasetofdifferentmaterialsi.e.:biological,
mineralandsyntheticmaterials,whichareoftencombinedtoproducecompositematerials;whereasthesematerialsoughttobeusedandhandledinsuchawaythat,whentheusefullifeoftheproductsisover,theydonotbecomeuselesswaste,
H. whereasthecreationofproductlifecycleswouldbesignificantlyfacilitatedbythephaseoutofsub-
stancesthatarepersistent,toxicandbioaccumulative,orofsimilarconcern,
I. whereastheIPP(IntegratedProductPolicy)conceptoffersopportunitiestocreateaframeworkforthe
systematicbundlingofthoseinstrumentsofsubstance-orientedenvironmentalpolicyandpoliciesontheprotectionofnaturalelements(suchaswater,air,etc.)conductedtodate,andwhichhavehadanisolatedimpact,soastomakeinstrumentsforresourceefficiency,wasteminimisationandcontrolleduseofhazardoussubstancesmorecoherentandmoretransparentforconsumersandindustry,
J. whereas the Commission proposal, giving priority to ‘working with the market’, has its merits;
whereassuchastrategycanonlybesuccessfulifmarketpricesreflectthetruecostofproductionandconsumption;whereasthestrategyshouldbeaccompaniedbysoundscientificresearchintotheinternalisationofexternalcostsandcanonlybesuccessfulifscientificallyclearboundaryconditionsareset,basedonthecarryingcapacityandpreservedhealthofthenaturalsystems,C104E/726 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
K. whereastheIPPismeanttobeanintegratingconcept,providingprinciplestobeobservedbyEU
environmentalpoliciesingeneral,
L. whereastheCommissionhaslaunchedavarietyofpolicyproposals,allrelatedtoIPP,withoutsuffi-
cientattentionbeingpaidtotheneedforanintegratingsystemsviewandtothemanylinksandsynergiesthatdoexist,
M. whereastheCommissioninitiallydevotesallitsattentiontoproducts;whereasthisishighlyregret-
tablesinceitisbyofferingservices,ratherthanproducts,thatpowerfulincentivesarecreatedforamoreefficientuseofenergyaswellasmaterials,
N. whereasourindustrialsystemfeedsondistantecosystemsbymeansoftradeandisofteninsensitiveto
theirdegradation;whereasthisimpliesthateffortstopromotetheIPPapproachonaninternationallevelaspointedoutintheCommunicationarehighlyimportant,
O. whereasconsumersareingreatneedofrelevantinformationasregardstheenvironmentalcharacter-
isticsofproductsandwhereasthevariouseco-labelsystemswerelaunchedwiththebestofintentions;whereas,however,mosteco-labeleffortshavenotcomeuptoexpectations;whereasthemostobviousshortcomingsarethoseobservedatEUlevel,
P. whereastheinformationflowthroughthewholeproductchainneedstobeimprovedandwhereas
thereisaneedforthedevelopmentandco-ordinationofdifferentinformationinstruments,notleasttofacilitatereuseandrecycling,
1. WelcomestheIPPcommunicationbutregretsthatitprovidesonlylimitedguidanceonhowtomove
societyinthedirectionoftrulysustainablesystemsofproductdevelopmentanddesign;
2. CallsontheCommissiontopresent,attheearliestpossibleopportunity,aframeworkdirectivefor
IPPbasedonasetofclearlydefinedprinciplesandobjectives;pointsoutthattheobjectiveisnottopresentdetailedrequirementsforproductdesignbuttoestablishframeworkconditionsaimedatfacilitat-
ingbusinesspracticesinthefuturewhichshouldbebuiltonsystemsthinking,givingprioritytoresource
efficiencyandshouldbestructuredprogressivelyalongbiologicallines;
3. NotesthattheIPPconceptmustbegearedtocreatingaframeworkforproduct-relatedsystematic
bundlingofthoseinstrumentsofsubstances-orientedenvironmentalpolicyandpoliciesontheprotectionofnaturalelements(suchasair,water,etc.)whichhavebeenconductedtodateandwhichhavehadanisolatedimpact,andformakingthoseinstrumentscoherent;callsontheCommissiontoformulatetangibleobjectivesaimedatestablishingcoherenceandconsistencyintheareaofproduct-relatedenvironmental
protection;
4. CallsontheCommission,inpreparingforthedirective,torecognisetheneedforahorizontalpolicy
approach,togiveprioritytothemajorenvironmentalproblemsfacingtheUnion,toexplorethepossibil-itythatimportedgoodsarecovered,tomakeeffortstominimisetheadministrativeburdenforcompaniesandtodevelopadirectivethatmakesiteasierforSMEstofulfiltheirresponsibilities;
5. SuggeststhatthemainprinciplesguidingtheIPPframeworkhavetobebasedon:
(a) asystems-basedapproach,wherelife-cyclethinkingisatthecoreandprimaryattentionisgivento
productdesign,
(b) an enhanced understanding ofhow natural systemsworkand ofhow structuring business along
biologicallinescanbothimprovetheenvironmentandestablishthebottomline,
(c) ensuringthatproductswhoseusefullifeisovershouldideallynotbecomeuselesswastebutbesepar-
atedandreconditionedtobecomeinputsfornewproductioncycles,
(d) anenhancedunderstandingofhowconsumptionpatternsareformedandhowtheycanbechanged
tocontributetosustainabledevelopment,30.4.2004EN C104E/727 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
(e) optimisationoftheproductdesignprocess,bytheselectionoflow-impactmaterials/dashgivingprefer-
encetobio-basedmaterials;moreover,hazardoussubstances,includingmanyheavymetals,shouldnotbeallowedsystematicallytoincreaseinconcentrationinthebiosphere;furthermore,chemicalsshouldbeusedinanon-dissipatoryway;safetyofchemicalsshouldbeassessedthroughascience-basedhazardand/orrisk-approach;priorityshouldbegiven,however,tothesubstitutionprinciple,meaningthathazardoussubstancesincludingmanyheavymetalsshouldpreferablybereplacedbymorebenignonesorsafeguardedthroughtightlycontrolledclosed-looprecycling,
(f) optimisationofproductiontechniques,bygivingpreferencetotheclusteringofproductionbyencour-
agingreuseandrecyclingofmaterials,inparticularbydevelopingtechniquesfortheseparationandreconditioningofusedproductsandmaterialstobecomeinputfornewproductioncycles,
(g) reductionofimpactduringuse,
(h) makingfulluseofthepotentialofferedbyICTtopromoteminiaturisationanddematerialisation,
enhancingenergyandmaterialefficiencyandreducingtransportdemandbyturningproductsintosustainableservices,
(i) maximuminvolvementofstakeholders;
6. Suggeststhattheshort-termobjectivesfortheIPPframeworkshouldbefocusedonreductionsin
emissionsofgreenhouse,eutrophyingandacidifyinggasesandairpollutants,reductionsinenergyinten-sity,reductionsintheuseofhazardoussubstances,reductionsintheintensityofvirginmaterialresourceuse,wateruseandwasteproductionandincreaseinrenewablematerialuse;
7. Recognisesthat,withoutthecreationofsuchaframework,thenecessarysignalsandincentivesare
notputacrosstodesignersanddecisionmakers;insiststhattheIPPframeworkshouldprovidecleartargetsforthesepriorityenvironmentalobjectives,drawingfromexistingandfuturetargetsandobjectivesintherelevant framework directives, international conventionsand thematic strategies soas to senda clearorientationtodesignersanddecisionmakers;
8. CallsontheCommissiontoassistindustryintheon-goingIPPprocessbymeansofcoherentand
consistentrulesinordertopromotesustainabledevelopmentandrethinktraditionalbusinessmodelsinanefforttofacilitatetheevolutionofmoreintegratedandsystems-basedpractices,suchasforinstancetheclusteringofproduction,functionalthinking(turningproductsintoservices),dematerialisationandtech-nologydevelopmentbasedonimitatingnature;
9. CallsontheCommissiontogiveprioritytothefollowingactions:
(a) developthenecessarylegalandeconomicframeworkconditions,objectivesandincentivestomake
IPPareality,
(b) identifyingkeyR&Dareasandpilotprojects,(c) developingandimplementingeffectiveinformationtoolsatconsumerlevel(productregisters,eco-
labelsand/orcomparabletools);presentingastrategyonhowdifferentinformationinstrumentscanbedevelopedandco-ordinatedinordertoimprovetheinformationflowinthewholeproductchain,
(d) developingandimplementingeducationandawareness-raisingprogrammesinsocietyatlarge,giving
specialattentiontocertaintargetgroups,
(e) integratingIPPandlife-cyclethinkinginallmajorEUpolicyareas,(f) drawingupaplanforco-ordinatingIPPwithotheron-goingprocessessuchasrelevantthematic
strategies,thefollow-uptoJohannesburg,ChemicalStrategies,Climateactionplanetc.;
10. CallsontheCommissiontoexplorepossiblemeasuresforthepromotionofsustainableconsump-
tionwithafocusonreducedresourceconsumptionandresourceefficiency,enablingconsumerstoactinamoresustainableway;C104E/728 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
11. CallsontheCommissiontomakethevariousIPPinstruments(includingeco-labels,management
systems,publicprocurement,EMAS,productinformation,etc.)dovetailwitheachother,tomakethemclearfortheconsumerandpracticableforallundertakings;
12. CallsontheCommission,whenrefiningtheIPPconcept,toattachparticularimportancetoknowl-
edgetransferandenvironmentalinformationforconsumers;
13. Insiststhat,topromotetheconsumptionofenvironmentallyfriendlyproducts,theCommission
encourageMemberStatestoconsidervariousincentives,suchasreducedtaxes,rebatesetc.;
14. RecommendsthattheCommissiondeveloptheconceptoflife-cyclethinkingintoapolicyprinciple
thatcouldbereferenced,butstressestheneedtohavearealisticunderstandingofthevalueandmanifoldlimitationsoflife-cycleassessments(LCAs),inparticulargiventhecontinuingproblemswithregardtotheavailability,qualityandcomparabilityofLCAdata;
15. CallsontheCommissiontomainstreamlife-cyclethinkinginallitsrelevantlegislativeproposals;
16. RecommendsthattheCommissiondrawupastrategyinordertoincludethelife-cycleandeco-
designconceptasanobjectiveinprimaryandhighereducation,engineeringandbusinessschools;
17. CallsontheCommissiontocarryoutanIPPcompatibilityreviewofexistinglegislationandto
abolishprovisionsthatarenolongerrelevant;
18. CallsontheCommissiontodevelopasystemofbenchmarkingforkeyproductgroupstoenable
improvementsinenvironmentalperformancetobemeasuredovertime;
19. UrgestheCommissiontorecognisethekeyroleplayedbytheavailability,qualityandcompara-
bilityofenvironmentallifecycledataofproductsinenablingIPP/dashespeciallyforbenchmarking,labelling
andotherIPPtools;
20. CallsthereforeontheCommissiontocomeforwardwithaproposaltoParliamentandCouncilon
howtoensurethatmanufacturersprovideenvironmentallifecycledataontheirproductsandtoassistthemindoingsoandonhowthisinformationcanbeused;
21. UrgestheCommissiontodevelopsystemsfortechnologyprocurementatEU-level,ideallymanaged
bytheCommissionormanagedbytheMemberStatesandcoordinatedbytheCommission,thepurposebeing to stimulate the development of more functionally-oriented innovations, including enhancedenvironmentalperformance;
22. Insiststhatmarketpricesmustreflectthetruesocialandecologicalcostsofproductionandcon-
sumptioninorderfor‘greenproducts’toattracttheinterestofconsumersandinordertoencouragethe
evolution of more sustainable products; urges the Commission to reduce and/or eliminate subsidiescounteractingIPP;urgestheCommissiontotaketheleadinimplementingthePolluterPaysPrinciple;calls on the Commissionto promote ‘working with the market’, to which the Commissionproposalattachespriority,andhavethisaccompaniedbysoundscientificresearchintotheinternalisationofexter-nalcosts;
23. CallsontheCommissiontoacknowledgetheimportanceofproducerresponsibilitywithregardto
thefulllifecycleofaproduct,andthereforecallsontheCommissiontoinvestigateandproduceareportonthepossibilityofintroducinggeneralproducerresponsibilityconcerningtheenvironmentalaspectsoftheirproducts,asisalreadyappliedforgeneralproductsafety;
24. CallsontheCommissiontogiveatleastequalrelevanceto‘servicedesign’(functionalandsystem
thinking)ascomparedto‘productdesign’andtoundertakeclearactionswithinIPPtoshiftfromproductstoservices,wherepossibleandenvironmentallybeneficial;30.4.2004EN C104E/729 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004
25. CallsontheCommissiontoassesstheachievementsandlimitationsoftheNewApproachand
presentproposalsforitsrevision;
26. CallsontheCommissionandontheMemberStatestomakeavailablesufficientresourcestoimple-
mentIPP;
27. Recommendsthattheroleofretailersindeliveringproductinformationbefurtherinvestigated,and
thatthecriticalroleofmarketingandindeedofthefinanceandinsurancesectorsshouldberecognised;
28. Considersthatpublicaccesstoenvironmentalinformationonproductsisafundamentalprerequi-
siteforandincentivetomanufacturerstoreducethelife-cycleimpactssoftheirproducts;
29. CallsontheCommissiontotakeintoconsiderationon-goingR&Dprogrammesoneco-designand
touseresourceswithintheSixthFrameworkProgrammeproactivelytostimulatethenecessarytrans-dis-ciplinaryresearchneededforIPP,includingthedevelopmentofappropriatebusinessmodels;takestheviewthatspecialemphasisshouldbegiventothedevelopmentofstandardsforre-usablematerialsandseparationtechniquesformulti-layermaterials;
30. CallsontheCommissiontoestablishasteeringcommitteeforIPPaswellasworkinggroupsin
specificareas,suchassystemsdesign,economictools,productenvironmentallifecycledataandconsump-tionpolicy;isoftheopinionthatparalleltothis,clearstakeholderproceduresandadetailedworkplanandtimetableforactions,initiativesandimplementationforeseenbytheCommissionshouldbeestablished;believes,moreover,thatastudyshouldbeinitiatedtoclarifyhowandinwhatwaythevarioustoolsandinstrumentsconsideredtopromoteIPPinteract,strengthenandsupporteachother;takestheviewthatimportantaspectstobetakenintoconsiderationwouldbemeasuresthatenableandmotivateindividualsaswellascompaniestotakeaccountoflifecycleconcernsintheirdecisions,measuresthatstimulateandrewardleadersandmeasuresthatforcelaggardstoimprove,measuresthataddressimmediatechallengesaswellaslong-termobjectives;
31. CallsontheCommissiontotakeinitiativestopromotethetransferofIPPknowledge(LCA,eco-
design,etc.)todevelopingcountries;
32. InstructsitsPresidenttoforwardthisresolutiontotheCouncilandCommission.
P5_TA(2004)0350
Safetyatsea
EuropeanParliamentresolutiononimprovingsafetyatsea(2003/2235(INI))
TheEuropeanParliament ,
/dash havingregardtoArticle31oftheCharterofFundamentalRightsoftheEuropeanUnion,whichstates:
‘Everyworkerhastherighttoworkingconditionswhichrespecthisorherhealth,safetyanddignity’,
/dash havingregardtoitsdecisionof6November2003tosetupatemporarycommitteeonimproving
safetyatsea(1),
/dash havingregardtoitsresolutionsof21November2002onthePrestigeoiltankerdisasteroffthecoast
ofGalicia(2),19December2002onsafetyatseaandmeasurestoalleviatetheeffectsofthePrestige
disaster(3)and23September2003onimprovingsafetyatseainresponsetothePrestigeaccident(4)
anditspreviousresolutionsonsafetyatsea,
(1) P5_TA(2003)0483.
(2) OJC25E,29.1.2004,p.415.
(3) OJC31E,5.2.2004,p.258.
(4) P5_TA(2003)0400.C104E/730 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Wednesday21April2004