TheHonourableMemberwillseefromtheabovethatsignatureoftheagreementof13November2002
means that the Commission has direct contractual links only with the Belgian Government and SABerlaymont2000.Likewise,itisSABerlaymont2000,thepartyresponsiblefortherenovationproject,whichentersintocontractswiththevariouscompaniesdoingthework.
Accordingly,asfarastheHonourableMember’sfirstquestionisconcerned,sincetheCommissionisnotat
this stage a party to the procedure being followedby the judge responsible for this case, it has noinformationaboutthisenquiry,whichisinanycasesubjecttopre-trialconfidentiality.
Asfarasthesecondquestionisconcerned,theCommissionconsidersthatthefixedpriceandthepenalties
forlatedeliverysetoutintheagreementreferredtoabovefullysafeguardtheUnion’sfinancialinterest.Inaddition,asnotedabove,onfraud,Article22oftheagreementincludesacommitmentbytheBelgianGovernmentandSABerlaymonttodoeverythingpossible,inagreementwiththeCommunity,tosecurecompensationforanydamageorharmcausedbyfraudbythirdpartieswithwhichtheCommissionhasnocontractualrelationshipandundertaketopaytheCommissionfiftypercentofanyamountwhichtheyrecoverthroughsuchaction.InthelightoftheinquiryinprogressandinlinewithArticle22oftheagreement, the Commission will take the steps required to protect the financial interests of theCommunity.
TheHonourableMember’sfinalquestionconcerningfailuretocomplywithdeadlinesfordeliveriesandthe
penaltiestobeappliedinsuchcircumstancesiscoveredbyArticles9and9aoftheagreement,whichsetoutthecommitmentsgiventotheCommissionbytheBelgianGovernmentandSABerlaymont2000as
regardsthedateofdeliveryoftherenovatedbuildingandthepenaltiesapplicableifthisisnotrespected.
The clauses on the deadlines and penalties in the contracts between SA Berlaymont 2000 and thecompaniesresponsibleforcarryingouttheworkconcernonlythecontractualrelationshipsbetweenthoseparties.
(2004/C58E/193) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2567/03
byDavidBowe(PSE)totheCommission
(6August2003)
Subject:Methylmethacrylate(MMA):acrylicliquidmonomer
IstheCommissionawarethattheacrylicliquidmonomer,methylmethacrylate(MMA),iscurrentlybeing
usedinthesolutionforacrylicnailsandiscausingnumerousallergicanddamagingreactionstotheusers
ofthisproduct?IstheuseofacrylicMMAbannedintheMemberStatesoftheEUorisitbeingconsidered
forbanning?Ifitisnotbeingconsideredforbanning,whynot?
AnswergivenbyMrLiikanenonbehalfoftheCommission
(12September2003)
Methylmethacrylateisnotlistedintheinventoryusedincosmeticproducts(1)buttheCommissionis
awarethatitmightbeusedinkitstosculpturenailsonnaturalfingernails.MethylmethacrylateisnotregulatedinanAnnextoCouncilDirective76/768/EEC(
2).
However,theDirectivestatesasageneralprinciplethatonlycosmeticproductsthatdonotcausedamage
tohumanhealthcanbeputonthemarket(Article2oftheDirective).Therefore,cosmeticproductscanonlycontainsafeingredients.Regardinganadequatesafetyassessmentofcosmeticproducts,thereisanobligationforthemanufacturertokeepinformationonitscosmeticproductsreadilyaccessibleforthecontrolauthoritiesoftheMemberStates(Article7aoftheDirective).Thisinformationmustcontaintheassessmentofthesafetyforhumanhealthofthefinishedproduct,takingintoconsiderationthegeneraltoxicologicalprofileofitsingredientsanditschemicalstructure.Therefore,thepossibleallergenicityoftheingredientsneedstobetakenintoaccountinthesafetyassessment.C58E/180 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
TheoverallissueofsubstancesusedinartificialfingernailsystemswasalreadydiscussedinaWorking
GroupwithMemberStatesandstakeholdersinFebruary2001.TheCommissionaskedtosendinscientificdataforthesafetyevaluationofthesesubstances.Basedondatasubmittedbyindustryasafetyevaluationofthreesubstanceswasinitiated.Thesesubstances(hydroquinone,benzoylperoxideandhydroquinonemethylether)arenowsubjecttorestrictionsandconditionslaiddowninAnnexIIIoftheDirective.
Moreover,ifaMemberStatenotes,onthebasisofasubstantiatedjustification,thatacosmeticproduct,
althoughcomplyingwiththeDirective,representsahazardtohealth,itmayprovisionallyprohibitthemarketingofthatproductandinformtheotherMemberStatesandtheCommissionofthis(Article12oftheDirective).Sofar,theCommissionhasnotreceivedsuchaninformationfromaMemberStateonamethylmethacrylatecontainingcosmeticproduct.
TheCommissionwillaskindustrytoprovideinformationandscientificdataonapossibleriskassociated
with the use of Methyl methacrylate in cosmetic products with a view to consulting the ScientificCommitteeonCosmeticProductsandNon-FoodProductsintendedfortheConsumer(SCCNFP)forasafetyassessmentif necessary. Based on this safety evaluation the Commissioncould then take appropriatemeasures.
(1) Commission decision 96/335/EC of 8May 1996 establishing an inventory and a common nomenclature of
ingredientsemployedincosmeticproducts,OJL132,1.6.1996.
(2) CouncilDirective76/768/EECof27July1976ontheapproximationofthelawsoftheMemberStatesrelatingto
cosmeticproducts,OJL262,27.9.1976.
(2004/C58E/194) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2568/03
byChristopherHuhne(ELDR)totheCommission
(6August2003)
Subject:ECCommitteeonDrivingLicences
1. FurthertotheCommissionanswergivenon30April2003(E-1231/03),willtheCommissionplease
addresspointfouroftheoriginalquestion,namelydoestheCommissionhaveaprojectedtimeframewithinwhichitanticipatesdevelopments?
2. Whenwillthevisionmedicalworkinggroupbesetup?Whatisitsremit?3. Is the Commissionitself responsible for appointing this group and if notwho is? Who are its
members?
4. Whenwillitbeaskedtoreport,particularlyontheissueofbiopticdriving?
AnswergivenbyMrsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(11September2003)
1. Nocalendarhasbeenestablishedyet,neitherforthefutureworkinggrouponeyesight,norforthe
specificsubjectofdrivingwithbiopticlenses,sincetheCommissionrepliedtoWrittenQuestionE-1231/03oftheHonourableMember(
1).
2. Through the regular procedures, the Parliament has been informed that the Committee on the
drivinglicencemeton22July2003.TheCommitteediscussedaboutthetermsofreferenceforthefutureworkinggrouponeyesightanditscomposition.ItisexpectedthatboththetermsofreferenceandthecompositionoftheworkinggroupwillbefinalisedatthenextmeetingoftheCommitteeonthedrivinglicence.ThismeetingisexpectedtotakeplaceinOctober2003.TheParliamentwillbedulyinformed.
3. The members of the Committee on the driving licence propose the composition of the future
workinggrouponeyesightanditstermsofreference.6.3.2004EN C58E/181 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion