ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1583/96 by Marianne Eriksson (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Radioactive waste

The UK Atomic Energy Authority is planning to expand the processing of radioactive waste, the result of which will be an increase in radioactive discharges at Dounreay. Sea currents will carry these radioactive discharges to the Swedish and other coasts causing further damage to health, the environment, tourism etc. The west coast of Sweden is already suffering badly from North Sea pollution.

The expanded operations may take radioactive waste from Russia for processing, which would have to be shipped either through the Baltic Sea or via Murmansk. An accident would be a disaster for the Baltic environment and the surrounding countries.

This issue is of international concern as other countries would be exposed to environmental and health hazards as well as radioactive pollution.

What measures will the Commission take to prevent the plans to increase the amount of radioactive waste processed at Dounreay from becoming a reality?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (1 August 1996)

Discharges from the Dounreay site are controlled within the terms of an authorization issued under the United Kingdom's radioactive substances Act. The terms of that authorization are presently under review. It is understood that, in respect of liquid discharges, authorised limits from the site are unlikely to be increased. The United Kingdom authorities are required to ensure that the doses received by the most exposed members of the local population will remain within the limits laid down in the Community legislation. On this basis it is clear that any radiological impact on the west coast of Sweden will be negligible.

Furthermore, the Commission seeks to ensure that Member States comply with the terms of the basic safety standards, under Council Directive 80/836/Euratom ((OJ L 246, 17.9.1980. )). There is no evidence that the United Kingdom is failing in its obligations under that Directive in respect of discharges from the Dounreay site.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1321/96 by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE) to the Commission (3 June 1996)

Subject: Community agreement with the USA concerning civil aviation

With regard to the current debate surrounding the guidelines for the European Union's external relations with the United States in the field of civil aviation:

1. What advantages does the Commission believe would result from establishing an agreement based on an all-embracing approach which would include not only the liberalization of trans-Atlantic traffic, but also the establishment of common standards regarding powers, state aid, air traffic control, safety and environmental protection?

2. How does it view the idea of a common EU-USA air space, in view of the proliferation of bilateral national 'open skies' agreements?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (9 July 1996)

As the Honourable Member will know, the Council decided on 17 June to authorise the Commission on behalf of the Community, to open negotiations on civil aviation with the United States.

A global agreement between the Community and the United States would permit carriers to develop their activities in a regulatory environment that guarantees equal conditions for fair competition across and on both sides of the Atlantic.

Existing national bilateral agreements are too limited in scope in this respect on such important issues as competition rules, ownership and control and access to airports.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1650/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Residues of phthalates in baby food

1. How does the Commission view that fact that residues of phthalates, a PVC softener, have been found in British baby food?

2. What tests were carried out to establish the presence of phthalates? Can the Commission provide me with these documents?

3. In what British baby milk products have high concentrations of phthalates been detected? Have tests been carried out on baby foods outside the UK? In which other EU countries are the affected products marketed?

4. What are the direct and indirect long-term, medium-term and short-term risks to the health of babies fed on these contaminated products?

5. What steps has the UK taken to remove the affected products from the market?

6. What steps does the Commission intend to take to prevent the EU-wide sale of contaminated baby food and protect infants throughout the EU from consuming these products?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (29 July 1996)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the joint reply it gave to Written Questions E-1593/96 by Mrs Crawley and E-1778/96 by Mr White ((OJ C 322, 28.10.1996, p. 87. )).

The Commission will also transmit the opinion of the scientific committee for food, which is referred to in that reply, directly to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's Secretariat.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1420/96 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission (6 June 1996)

Subject: Management of solid urban waste in the Autonomous Region of Valencia

The Autonomous Region of Valencia (ARV) is facing a major environmental problem owing to its huge production of solid urban waste (SUW) and the lack of adequate facilities to manage it properly.

The lack of foresight by the regional authorities, which has not taken account of the provisions of Doc. SEC(89)0943 on a Community strategy for waste management, is generating problems on a huge scale, which, in the case of the rubbish dump of Basseta Blanca (Riba-roja, ARV), about 30 km from the city of Valencia, constitutes a potential threat to public health, according to technical reports drawn up by the municipal council of Riba-roja del Túria.

The dump, which opened in 1984 and was planned to take a total of 299 080 m3 over 17 months of existence, has in fact received more than 3 932 000 m3 of SUW which has not been treated in any way. There is some uncertainty as to when the dump will be closed.

Can the Commission say whether the government of the Autonomous Region of Valencia has submitted a plan to deal with the problem of solid urban waste and, in particular, to resolve the problem of the rubbish dump of Basseta Blanca?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (26 July 1996)

According to Article 7 of Council Directive 75/442/EEC ((OJ L 194, 25.7.1975. )) on waste, amended by Council Directive 91/156/EEC ((OJ L 78, 26.3.1991. )), Member States shall require their authorities to draw up one or more waste management plans and notify the Commission thereof.

To date Spain has notified only one plan, the national hazardous waste plan (1995-2000). No plan for other types of waste has been sent to the Commission. Consequently, no plan covering municipal waste in Valencia has been sent.

Proceedings against Spain for non-communication of measures to implement Directive 91/156/EEC have been initiated by the Commission and the case is now pending before the Court of Justice.

The Commission is not aware of the case of Basseta Blanca mentioned by the Honourable Member. To clarify the state of affairs the Commission will ask Spain for further information and on that basis consider the appropriate steps to be taken.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1502/96 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission (12 June 1996)

Subject: Compulsory use of reformulated petrol in the European Union

Unleaded petrol is being used throughout the European Union, and now reformulated petrol is being launched. Its use has been compulsory in 39 states of the United States since 1992. Of the Community countries Finland already uses it and the Swedish Government is in favour of it. The French law on air quality recommends its use.

Since this petrol has a higher proportion of oxygen in its composition than ordinary petrol and it significantly reduces carbon monoxide pollution (by up to 25%), it seems clear that it would be advisable to introduce it into the Community.

Can the Commission say what its current view is on the subject and whether it considers that the use of reformulated petrol should be introduced, whether on a voluntary or a compulsory basis, in order to make a useful contribution to ensuring that the air in our polluted cities is cleaner?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (1 August 1996)

The issues raised by the Honourable Member were the subject of a recent Commission Communication. ((Doc. COM(96) 248. )) On 18 June 1996 the Commission adopted a new strategy to reduce emissions from motor vehicles in order to make it possible to respect rigorous air quality standards concerning pollutants such as carbon monoxide, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, particles and tropospheric ozone.

This strategy, which aims to reduce emissions from road transport vehicles by 60-70% in 2010 compared with the current situation, consists of two proposals for a directive. The first seeks to make the standards for emissions applicable to private cars stricter, while the second refers to quality standards for petrol and diesel fuels. This second proposal provides for oxygenated compounds among the other parameters considered for unleaded petrols in the Auto-Oil Programme. The Commission proposes that their maximum content be fixed at 2.3% in weight as higher proportions of oxygenated products in petrols can give rise to increases in other pollutants such as NOx and the aldehydes. That is the reason why, moreover, that the air quality targets adopted did not make it possible to raise this content to higher levels. The value proposed by the Commission is comparable to those adopted by California and Sweden.

In addition to this, other proposals for legislation deriving from the Auto Oil programme and concerning standards for emissions from light commercial vehicles and heavy goods vehicles, and on the regulation of inspections, annual and bi-annual maintenance checks are currently being prepared.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2176/96 by Christine Crawley (PSE) to the Commission (2 August 1996)

Subject: Over-60s pass project

Would the Commission provide information on the Europass project in which five Member States will participate? What steps does the Commission envisage taking to ensure that the results of the project are used to enforce a European wide over-60s pass?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (9 September 1996)

The Commission is co-financing the Europass project to which the Honourable Member refers. The project aims to develop models which Member States could adapt to meet their own particular circumstances. This could eventually provide a common basis for reciprocal benefits and mutual recognition within the Community. The results of a feasibility study should be available in mid 1997. The Commission will review the situation based on the report from this study. The aim is to identify concrete measures by which progress might be made on the Commission Recommendation of 10 May 1989. This Recommendation, which no Member State so far has implemented, called for the introduction of a common 'over sixties card' which could make existing rights of older people visible, especially when travelling outside their own Member State.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1513/96 by Guido PODESTÀ to the Council. Delays at border posts



Official Journal C 356 , 25/11/1996 P. 0049



WRITTEN QUESTION E-1513/96 by Guido Podestà (UPE) to the Council (25 June 1996) Subject: Delays at border posts Can the Council explain why there are often tailbacks of hundreds of vehicles at the border post on the stretch of motorway leading from France to Belgium, as a result of the checks made by French customs, bearing in mind that the two countries are signatories to the Schengen Agreement and that there should therefore be no systematic controls at the borders between them? Reply (14 October 1996) The Council does not have the information to answer the Honourable Member's question as the Schengen Agreement is an instrument concluded between Certain Member States outwith the framework of the Council.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1286/96 by Nuala Ahern (V) to the Commission (15 May 1996)

Subject: European Parliament report on the storage, transport and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels, July 1993

At its July 1993 part-session, Parliament adopted a report by Mr Llewellyn Smith on the environmental and public health aspects of the storage, transport and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels (A3-0220/93 ((OJ C 255, 20.9.1993, p. 255. ))), which included a list of 20 recommendations, some of which called upon the Commission to consult the appropriate trade unions, local authorities and non-governmental organizations in implementation of the recommendations.

David Blackman, who works for the British Department of Transport and is a member of the Commission's Standing Working Party on the Transport of Radioactive Materials, admitted at a conference in London on 25 April 1996 that the Commission had not yet implemented these resolutions and had not consulted relevant NGOs such as Greenpeace International or the Öko Institut because, 'they are not supported by Member State governments'. (quotation taken from the transcript)

Will the Commission make a statement on its failure to implement the resolution in the Smith Report and give a commitment that it will now take steps to consult environmentalist NGOs in developing strategy and the placing of research contracts by its Standing Working Party on the Transport of Radioactive Materials?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (17 July 1996)

The Commission strongly endorses the provision of information to the public at large on the various aspects of nuclear power. There is no reason why only a selected audience should be privileged, as recommended by the Smith report.

On the specific topic of radioactive waste, the Commission continues to provide information to the public as required by the Council Resolution of 15 June 1992 ((OJ C 158, 26.6.1992. )) on the Community plan of action in the field of radioactive waste and the Council Resolution of 19 December 1994 ((OJ C 379, 31.12.1994. )) on radioactive waste management. In this context, it should be noted that the fourth report, describing in detail the situation of radioactive waste management in the Community, is now in preparation. It should be published within the next twelve months.

The effective management of radioactive waste is under the responsibility of the Member States concerned. If consultations have to be organized in this area, it is for the Member States to foresee them.

Recently, a public call for proposals in the field of transport of radioactive material has been published ((OJ C 136, 8.5.1996. )). The proposals will be submitted for selection to the Commission's standing working group on safe transport of radioactive material, according to established order of procedure.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1476/96 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission (12 June 1996)

Subject: Number of terrorists and drug traffickers apprehended at EU internal borders

Can the Commission indicate how many terrorists and drug traffickers have been apprehended at EU internal borders in each EU country each year over the last five years.

Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission (15 July 1996)

The Commission does not collect or have access to the statistics which would enable it to answer the Honourable Member's question in detail. In particular it has no information about arrests of terrorists at internal borders.

As far as drugs are concerned, detailed figures on drug seizures in each Member State and in the Community as a whole, also including developments over the last five years, are collected and published by the Europol drugs unit. The general situation report on drug production and drug trafficking (published in September 1995) indicates that in 1994 5 907 kilogrammes (kgs) of heroin (1993: 4 693 kgs), 28 968 kgs of cocaine (1993: 16 884 kgs) and 733 380 kgs of cannabis (1993: 517 062 kgs) were seized in the Community. The next general situation report is being prepared and is expected to be published in the autumn.

These figures do not, however, indicate which seizures or arrests took place at internal frontiers. In the view of the Commission, such indications would anyway not be especially revealing, since the place at which an arrest is effected can be determined by many different factors or considerations.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1332/96 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (3 June 1996)

Subject: Discriminatory selection criteria in recruitment competitions for the JRC Ispra establishment

In competition COM/R/A 114, the Italian woman who came closest to satisfying the requisite conditions was classed as one of only two candidates deemed to be suitably qualified but later rejected. No proper explanation was given, making it impossible to dispel suspicions that she suffered discrimination on account of her sex and, moreover, her Italian nationality.

Does not the Commission believe that the criteria observed by the Selection Board are in need of impartial review, since they seem in the case in question to be contrary to the much-vaunted commitment to equal opportunities?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (11 July 1996)

In accordance with Commission rules, officials and temporary staff are recruited through general competitions or through selection of temporary 'research' staff, both of which procedures result in recruitment reserve lists.

In accordance with the statutory rules, such lists must, where possible, include at least twice as many successful candidates as there are posts to be filled. Thus no-one who has passed a competition is automatically guaranteed a job with the Commission; inclusion on a reserve list merely signifies eligibility for recruitment.

The Commission may, while the reserve list is still valid, offer a contract of service to anyone whose name appears on the list provided that person has the requisite training and experience for the job. Each time a post falls vacant a comparative examination is made of the files of all the candidates who have got through selection or passed a competition and whose professional profiles match the requirements of the post most closely.

With regard to procedure COM/R/A/114 for the selection of scientific staff specializing in operational radiation protection, there were six successful candidates on the reserve list, two of them women. With a view to filling a vacant post in the Joint Research Centre's Ispra establishment, all six files were examined, in the light of the specific requirements of the service, and the candidates with the most suitable profiles were invited for interview to determine which of them would be recruited.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1510/96 by Sebastiano Musumeci (NI) to the Commission (17 June 1996)

Subject: The ecosystem of the Eolian islands

The Institute of Veterinary Pathology at the University of Messina, whilst carrying out routine checks, discovered traces of chemical pollutants in the sea off the Eolian islands, particularly in the stretch of water off the town of Rinella in the district of Leni on the island of Salina and the village of Acquacalda on Lipari.

The seriousness of the problem is highlighted by the discovery of many species of fish, such as white seabream, grey mullet and amberjack, with obvious anatomical malformations, such as atrophied tail fins and eyes and extensive desquamation.

Can the Commission carry out an investigation to ascertain the presence of chemical pollutants in the ecosystem of the Eolian islands?

Can it also issue a directive as a matter of urgency for the protection of the sea and Community coastlines in the Mediterranean basin, with particular reference to the environmental protection of the Eolian islands?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (17 July 1996)

The Commission is concerned to hear of the pollution of the waters around the Eolian islands,but notes that any investigation or remedial action is the responsibility of the Italian authorities. Without further information, the Commission is unable to ascertain whether there is a problem, what the cause of the problem might be and whether there has been any breach of Community law.

The Commission is currently preparing a proposal for a water resources framework directive which would require the regular monitoring of coastal waters for signs of pollution and of its impact on the ecosystem. It would require action to be taken to ensure a good quality environment and would insist on regular reporting to the public.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1969/96 by Wolfgang Nußbaumer (NI) to the Commission (16 July 1996)

Subject: The Helms-Burton Act

What measures does the Commission intend to take against the United States' extraterritorial legislation relating to Cuba, Iran and Libya to protect European companies if the present deadlock continues, and what practical retaliatory measures can be taken by the European Union?

Does the Commission intend to give companies affected by this legislation financial support, in order to reduce the scale of the damage?

What repercussions is this situation having on the progress of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD), which has only recently begun?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (6 September 1996)

The Commission has requested World trade organization (WTO) consultations with the United States under General agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT) and General agreement on trade in services (GATS) Article XXIII. Two rounds of consultations have taken place, on 4 June and 2 July. The Commission is currently reviewing the outcome with Member States with a view to deciding whether the Community should now formally request a WTO panel.

The General Affairs Council on 15 July identified a number of measures that could be deployed in defence of the European Union's interests. One of these was 'the use/introduction of legislation by the European Union to neutralise the extraterritorial effects of the United States legislation'. The Commission has just adopted a proposal for a Council regulation to this effect, which will now be sent to the Council and (for information) to Parliament.

It is not within the powers of the Commission to compensate European companies for the losses they might suffer as a result of extraterritorial measures of secondary boycott by third countries.

The participants to the transatlantic business dialogue have clearly indicated their opposition to extraterritorial legislation such as the Cuban liberty and democratic solidarity (Libertad) Act.