Majorresearchprojectsarecurrentlyunderwaytoassesstheseimpacts.Retrievabilityofthewasteisa
naturalresultofthe‘concentrateandcontain’strategyemployedinradioactivewastemanagement.Whatiscrucialisthatanymeasurestoenhanceretrievabilitydonotcompromiseoverallsafety.
4. TheCommissionplacesthehighestpriorityonsafety,anddisposalistheonlyoptioncapableof
guaranteeinglong-termsafetyandprotectionoftheenvironment.IndividualdifferencesbetweenMemberStateswerenotspecificallyaddressedinthecurrentproposals,buttheCommissionconsidersthereisadequateflexibilityinitsmeasurestoallowallMemberStatestofindappropriatesolutions.WithregardstotheDutchsub-soil,thePAGISstudymentionedaboveindicatedtheexistenceofsuitablesaltdeposits.
5. Yes.6. TheCommissionconsidersthatthecurrentproposalsalreadyoffersignificantflexibilitytoallowfor
differencesbetweenMemberStates.TheCommissionhasmadeitclearthatitisreadytocontinuethediscussionsonitsproposalswiththeMemberStatesintheCounciltoseeifsuchflexibilitymightbefurtherenhanced.
(1) COM(2003)32final.
(2) Performanceassessmentofgeologicalisolationsystems.
(2004/C58E/141) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2036/03
byChrisDavies(ELDR)totheCommission
(18June2003)
Subject:TreatyonAustrianaccessiontotheEU
According totheAustrian Embassy,under the1995Treaty onAustrian accessiontothe EUAustria
receivedtwoguaranteesfromtheCommission:
1. inordertoimproveairpollution,emissionswouldbereducedpermanentlyby60%,and
2. aEuropeanframeworkguaranteeingasustainabletransportpolicygoverningtrafficforallofEurope
wouldbeinplacebythetimethattheagreementexpired.
WhendoestheCommissionintendtoputforwardproposalsforsuchlegislation?
AnswergivenbyMrsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(16July2003)
When Austria joined the Union, the Council asked the Commission to propose the adoption of a
frameworkaimedatresolvingtheenvironmentalproblemscausedbyheavygoodvehicles(seeDeclaration34annexedtotheAdhesionActofAustria).
Withaviewtoimplementingthisframework,theCommissionpresentedaworkingdocument(
1)and
proposals,interalia,intheareaofroadchargingandrailwaypolicy.
Asfarasroadchargingisconcerned,aproposalforaDirectiveonthechargingofheavygoodsvehicles
for the use of certain infrastructures(2) was put forward, which became the so-called ‘Eurovignette-
Directive’(3).ThisproposalcontainedamongstotherthingsthepossibilityforMemberStatestoapply
higherratesinsensitiveareas.Thisandothernovelaspectsoftheproposalwere,however,notadoptedbytheCommunitylegislator.
As far as railway policy is concerned, the Commission presented in the late 1990s the first railway
package,whichwasadoptedin2001andpresentedasecondrailwaypackagein2002,whichisnowbeingdebatedintheCouncilandParliament.6.3.2004EN C58E/125 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
TheCommissionhasthereforealreadyfollowedupontheCouncil’srequest,mentionedinDeclaration34
annexed to Austria’s Adhesion Act, and presented legislation in the relevant areas. Moreover theCommissionhaspresentedinDecember2001aproposalforaprolongationoftheecopointssystem(
4)
which is nowthe subject ofthe conciliation procedure. Finally the Commissionhasthe intention topresentshortlyanewsectoralproposalforaDirectiveonchargingfortheuseofroadinfrastructuremodifyingtheEurovignette-Directive.
(1) COM(98)444final.
(2) OJC59,26.2.1997.
(3) Directive1999/62ECoftheParliamentandtheCouncilof17June1999onthechargingofheavygoodvehicles
fortheuseofcertaininfrastructures,OJL187,20.7.1999replacingCouncilDirective93/89/EECof25October1993,OJL279,12.11.1993.
(
4) OJC103E,30.4.2002.
(2004/C58E/142) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2046/03
byAnneJensen(ELDR)totheCommission
(19June2003)
Subject:Germanroadtax
TheGermanGovernmenthastakenadecisiontointroducearoadtax(HGVtoll).Theintroductionofa
unilateralGermanroadtaxwillplacehauliersfromanumberofEuropeancountriesinaconsiderablyworsepositionthantheirEuropeancolleagues.TransitthroughGermany,forexample,isessentialforhaulagefromDenmarkandSwedentotherestofEurope.WiththeintroductionofaunilateralGermanroadtax,therefore,DanishandSwedishhaulierswillbecompetitivelyworseoff.
DoestheCommissionconsiderthatthisunilateralGermanroadtaxisconsistentwithEUcompetition
rules? Will the Commissionseek a commonEuropean solutionrather than accept unilateral nationaltaxation?
AnswergivenbyMrsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(18July2003)
GermanyhasnotifiedtotheCommissionitsintentiontointroduceanewroadtollsystemforheavygoods
vehiclesonGermanmotorways.TheCommissionhaswrittentotheGermanauthoritiesinordertoassessthecompatibilityofthesystemwithCommunitylaw,andinparticularwithDirective1999/62/EC(
1)as
regardsboththeleveloftollsandtheotherrelevantaspectsofthesystem.Theissueiscurrentlyunderexamination.
InanycasetheCommissionwillmakesurethatCommunitylawisdulyrespectedintheapplicationofall
issuesrelatedtothenewroadtollsysteminGermany.
(1) Directive 1999/62/ECoftheParliamentandoftheCouncilof17June1999onthechargingofheavygoods
vehiclesfortheuseofcertaininfrastructures,OJL187,20.7.1999.
(2004/C58E/143) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2057/03
byBarthoPronk(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(20June2003)
Subject:Oneandtwoeurocentcoins
A scientific article which was recently published in the Netherlands(1) used Cramer’s algorithm to
demonstratethatasetofeurocoinswhichdidnotincludeoneandtwocentcoinswasmuchmoreefficientforcashpaymenttransactionsthanthecurrentsetofeurocoins.Accordingtothearticle,anefficientsystemforcashpaymenttransactionsisintheinterestsofconsumers,shops,banks,industryandtheCentralBanks.C58E/126 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion