WRITTEN QUESTION E-3134/02

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(4 November 2002)

Subject: Smog-related deaths

According to data from the World Health Organisation, each year at least three million deaths occur due to atmospheric pollution in cities. According to another Italian study, in the eight largest cities dust and gas claim 3 500 victims a year, whereas in Europe the figure rises to 100 000. The causes lie mainly in cars and other modes of transport, which emit between 55 and 70 % of harmful substances, while the rest comes from domestic heating and industrial discharges.

In view of this situation:

1. Does the Commission have measures to propose to prevent this constant increase in pollution?

2. Does it not consider that it should promote the use of clean engines and discourage that of petrol engines?

3. Would it not be useful to promote an information campaign to draw attention once again to the damage caused to health by atmospheric pollution from petrol-driven engines?

4. In view of the crisis in the automobile sector, could it not promote the use of gas fuels?

5. In view of the atmospheric pollution caused by heating, would it not been useful to encourage the use of solar panels, at least for heating water?

Answer given by Mr Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2003)

The Union has a well-developed policy in place to address the recognised health risks due to air pollution. This policy includes directives setting limits on ambient concentrations of pollutants, national emission ceilings, and emission limit values from specific (mobile and stationary) sources. In order to address the remaining problems the Commission launched the Clean Air for Europe programme in 2001, which will lead to the development of the thematic strategy on air pollution foreseen in the Sixth Environmental Action Programme.

On the specific issue of petrol engines, the Commission shares the view of the Honourable Member that the use of alternative fuels should increase in the transport sector and has taken a number of steps already described in the reply to Written Question E-2887/02, although that reply also describes a number of caveats in relation to gas fuels. A Common Position was reached in November 2002 in the Council on the Commission's proposal on the promotion of biofuels for transport which proposes a target of 2 % of biofuels in 2005 and 5,75 % by 2010 in the overall market of fuels for transportation. Following a second reading in the Parliament, the Directive is expected to be adopted during the first semester of 2003.

The Commission agrees that the use of renewable energy sources in heating applications, such as solar panels, as well as improvements in energy efficiency, can result in substantial benefits, both in terms of a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and of air pollution. Based on a proposal of the Commission, the Council and Parliament have recently adopted a Directive on the energy performance of buildings that lays down a framework for the Member States to implement energy improvements and/or the use of renewable energy sources in building applications.

As far as an information campaign is concerned, the Commission considers that this is primarily a matter for the Member States.