WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2247/97 by Marjo MATIKAINEN-KALLSTRÖM to the Commission. Tobacco smoke in the environment
Date: 1997-07-02
Institutions: European Parliament, MATIKAINEN-KALLSTROEM
Subjects: EU financing, action programme, cancer, carcinogenic substance, public health, smoking, tobacco, workplace

C 76/82

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11. 3. 98

(98/C 76/171)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2244/97

by Gerardo Ferna·ndez-Albor (PPE) to the Commission

(2 July 1997)

Subject: EU contribution to the restoration and conservation of cathedrals

Many  cathedrals  in  the  Community,  which  form  part  of  a  vast  spiritual,  cultural  and  architectural  heritage,
require restoration and conservation work, with varying degrees of urgency, to protect them against the effects of
wind and weather which threaten their existence.

Funding for such work is often either clearly insufficient or simply unavailable.

Given that the restoration and conservation of our cathedrals could be a major source of employment and provide
work for people with both professional and manual skills, does the Commission believe that it should concentrate
its action in this field into a specific programme under the ERDF so that, as well as helping to promote economic
activity, it will make a substantial contribution to preserving the richness and uniqueness of the historical and
spiritual legacy represented by cathedrals in the Community?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 1997)

The  Commission  understands  and  shares  the  Honourable  Member(cid:146)s  concern  about  the  restoration  and
preservation of many cathedrals within the Community and it is for this very reason that the theme of its 1995
pilot  restoration  projects  was  specifically  designed  to  support  the  protection  and  enhancement  of  religious
monuments.

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that the needs in this field are great indeed and also that
any action for the restoration of our historic, religious, cultural and architectural heritage represented in the form
of cathedrals will certainly have positive repercussions in social and economic terms with the provision of extra
employment opportunities for people with either professional or manual skills.

As the Honourable Member is aware, actions in favour of the preservation of cultural heritage are already eligible
under the European regional development fund (ERDF) provided, of course, that they meet its objectives and
eligibility criteria. Furthermore, last year, Article 10 of the ERDF Regulation (EEC) No 4254/88 as amended (1)
provided extra support for projects that aimed to preserve and enhance the Community(cid:146)s cultural heritage in
general and architectural heritage in particular.

(1)  OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.

(98/C 76/172)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2247/97

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE) to the Commission

(2 July 1997)

Subject: Tobacco smoke in the environment

Tobacco  smoke  in  the  environment  is  one  of  the  greatest,  if  not  the  greatest,  environmental  hazard  at  the
workplace and at home. Tobacco smoke contains nearly fifty carcinogenic substances. There are no threshold
levels for these substances below which no risk of cancer exists.

And yet passive smoking cannot be avoided. If only because of the cost of the health care to which tobacco
smoke gives rise we in the EU have no choice but to take determined action to reduce this nuisance. Although
there are standards regulating smoking in certain Member States, these standards are not sufficiently effective in
limiting passive smoking.

What  more  effective  measures  does  the  Commission  propose  taking  to  protect  citizens  from  unintentional
exposure  to  tobacco  smoke  at  the  workplace  and  in  public  places?    Does  the  Commission  intend  to  classify
tobacco smoke in the environment as a carcinogenic substance?