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
4. Nodatehasyetbeensetforareporttobedeliveredbythefutureworkinggrouponeyesight.As
indicatedbefore,thesubjectofdrivingwithbiopticlensesisnotaprioritysubjectforthisworkinggroupasitisinanexperimentalstageonly.Itwillcertainlyrequireseveralyearsofresearchandofdiscussionsbeforebeingallowedofficially.
(1) Seepage52.
(2004/C58E/195) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2575/03
byPhilipClaeys(NI)totheCommission
(6August2003)
Subject:SettlementofnewofficialsinandaroundBrussels
InMay2004,tennewMemberStateswillaccedetotheEU.Thatenlargementnaturallygoeshand-in-hand
withtherecruitmentofnewofficialsfromthecountriesconcerned.ExperienceshowsthatmostoftheEU
officialscurrentlyemployedinBrusselsprefertosettleinoneofBrusselsCity’s19municipalitiesoronthe
outskirtsofBrussels.However,anumberofproblemsariseinthelatterarea,whichliesinFlanders,i.e.inaDutch-speakingarea.Therearesocialproblems(thepresenceoflargenumbersofEuropeanofficialsinsomemunicipalitieshasledtoasurgeinrentsandhouseprices,withsomeyoungFlemishfamiliesbeingforcedtomoveawayfromtheirownarea)aswellaslanguage-basedproblems.ManyFlemishperipheralareasarehavingtocopewiththeproblemofFrench-speaking(Belgian)alienswhorefusetoacknowledgethatDutchisthelanguageofthearea.ThegradualFrenchificationofFlemishBrabantisaconsiderablepoliticalproblem.Inseveralmunicipalities,knownas‘municipalitieswith(linguistic)facilities’,theoriginalFlemishinhabitantsarealreadybeingreducedtoaminority.ThepresenceofalargenumberofEUofficialswhocannotspeakDutchhasfrequentlyexacerbatedthisproblem,notbecausetheyareunwillingbutmainlyforotherreasons,suchasalackofinformation.
Waysexistofcombatingthisproblem.New(orevencurrent)officialsmightbeofferedincentivestosettle
innearbyWalloonBrabant.TheymightalsobemadeawareofthepoliticalsituationontheoutskirtsofBrusselsandbeencouragedtolearnDutchatthecoursesorganisedbythelocalauthorities,etc.
IstheCommissionpreparedtoconsidertheseandothermeasures/dashwithdueaccountbeingtakenofthe
dateofenlargement/dashinordertomakeiteasierfornewofficialstosettlein?
AnswergivenbyMrKinnockonbehalfoftheCommission
(29September2003)
At the regularly organised welcome meetings for new colleagues, the Adminfo service (which is
responsibleforboththereceptionofandprovisionofinformationtonewofficials),explainsbothorallyandinitsbrochure‘WelcometotheCommission’thedifferentaspectsrelatedinteraliatosettlinginvarious locationsaround Brussels, the existence ofthree official languages in Belgium and ofDutch-speaking,French-speakingandbilingualareas.
Article20oftheCommission’sStaffRegulationsprovidesthatan‘officialshallresideeitherintheplace
whereheisemployedoratnogreaterdistancetherefromasiscompatiblewiththeproperperformanceofhisduties’.WithintheboundsofthisRegulation,theselectionofaplacetoliveisofcourseamatterofindividualchoice.Inanyevent,theCommissionhasneitherthewish,thepowersnorthebudgettogiveofficialsincentivestosettleinparticularareas.
TheHonourableMemberwillbeawarethatformostofficialsoftheCommissionchoosingtoliveinthe
outskirtsofBrussels,neitherDutchnorFrenchistheirfirstlanguage.C58E/182 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion