WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3062/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Emissions of organic compounds
Date: 1997-10-02
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: EC Directive, European standard, approximation of laws, economic consequence, industrial enterprise, organic chemical, ozone, proposal (EU), solvent, transfrontier pollution

C 158/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

(98/C 158/35)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3062/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(2 October 1997)

Subject: Emissions of organic compounds

With regard to the proposal for a Council directive on limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due
to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities (COM(96) 538 final › 96/0276 SYN) (1),  will the
Commission take account of the economic impact of the proposal, which may be extensive for certain industrial
sectors,  undermining  competitiveness  and  possibly  reducing  employment?  Will  it  also  say  what  effect  the
proposed measures will have on costs in the various regions and whether the criteria for the harmonization of
these  measures  are  justified  given  the  different  situations  as  regards  air  quality  in  the  various  regions  of  the
Community?

(1)  OJ C 99, 26.3.1997, p. 32.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 1997)

In drawing up its proposal for a Council Directive on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs)  due  to  the  use  of  organic  solvents  in  certain  industrial  activities,  the  Commission  took  great  care  to
define  the  VOC  emission  requirements  for  the  different  industrial  sectors  falling  within  its  scope.  Various
sectoral  analyses  indicated  the  potential  for  reducing  VOC  emissions  in  each  sector  through  the  use  of  best
available techniques. The fullest account was taken of these technical and economic considerations in setting the
emission limits and solvent consumption thresholds above which an installation falls within the scope of the
Directive.

Furthermore, the proposal contains a number of flexibility parameters and an appropriate timetable to promote
innovation  by  encouraging  industry  to  develop  and  implement  alternative  solutions  to  the  use  of  organic
solvents.

The  level  of  harmonisation  opted  for  by  the  Commission  is  justified  by  the  cross-border  nature  of  ozone
pollution. Nonetheless, the legal basis of the proposal (Article 130s of the EC Treaty) allows Member States who
so wish to adopt more stringent protective measures than those laid down in this Directive.

The cost impact of the proposed measures will depend on the industrial structure of each region. The possibility
for a Member State to implement the Directive by means of a national plan will enable any regional disparities to
be taken into account.

(98/C 158/36)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3074/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(2 October 1997)

Subject: Admission to the occupation of road haulage operator

This question concerns the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 96/26/EC on admission to the
occupation of road haulage operator and road passenger transport operator and mutual recognition of diplomas,
certificates  and  other  evidence  of  formal  qualifications  intended  to  facilitate  for  these  operators  the  right  to
freedom  of  establishment  in  national  and  international  transport  operations  (COM(97)  25  final  ›  97/0029
SYN) (1).

In  directives  74/561/EEC (2),  74/562/EEC (3)  and  77/796/EEC (4)  the  Council  adopted  measures  designed  to
harmonize the requirements for access to the occupation of road haulage operator and to promote the freedom of
establishment of operators in the sector.

Despite the requirements laid down in these directives, there are discrepancies in the Member States which can
cause imbalances and potential distortions of competition; furthermore, the professional qualifications have not
yet reached levels appropriate to the role they are to play.