WRITTEN QUESTION No. 82/98 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Council. Information on technology from NATO
Date: 1998-01-30
Institutions: European Parliament, ROBLES PIQUER
Subjects: Council of the European Union, EU programme, NATO, aeronautical industry, applied research, exchange of information, military aircraft, scientific research, space research, space technology

C 304/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

The aim of the envisaged directive on incineration of waste is to set strict emission limit values and operational
conditions for installations which incinerate waste in dedicated incinerators or co-incinerate waste in plants with
the main purpose of the generation of energy or production of material products.

In  general  the  proposal  would  provide  for  the  same  requirements  as  Council  Directive  94/67/EC  on  the
incineration of hazardous waste (1), such as an emission limit value for dioxins of 0.1 nanogramme (ng) toxic
equivalent (TEQ)/m3 and 0.05mg/m3 for mercury. Moreover, the proposal would apply an integrated approach. It
could  aim  to  prevent  diversion  of  emissions  from  one  media  to  the  other.  Therefore,  it  could  set  stringent
emission limit values (ELVs) for waste water.

The policy of the Commission is that only waste that cannot be prevented or recovered by means of reuse or
recycling should be incinerated. When waste is incinerated a high level of environmental protection should be
assured.

In the communication from the Commission on the review of the Community strategy for waste management (2),
the hierarchy of principles of waste management policy, as established by the strategy document of 1989, was
reconfirmed. In this hierarchy the first priority is given to prevention of the generation of waste, followed by the
recovery of waste and finally by the safe disposal of waste. Implementation of this hierarchy is taken into account
in all Commission initiatives in the field of waste policy.

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
(2)  COM(96) 399 final.

(98/C 304/42)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0082/98

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Council

(30 January 1998)

Subject: Information on technology from NATO

In reply to a question (E-1133/97) (1) on the monitoring of NATO reports on technology, particularly with regard
to  aeronautical  research,  I  received  an  answer  to  the  effect  that  (cid:145)there  does  not  exist  any  forum  within  the
Council, nor is one envisaged in the future, for exchanging views with NATO organizations on this subject. It is
not, therefore, foreseen that the Council would examine or monitor the reports referred to in the Question(cid:146).

As the Council is no doubt aware, the Commission has put forward a European Union strategy and a plan of
action for defence related industries. Moreover, the Council recently considered the (cid:145)Bangemann Report(cid:146) on the
future  of  the  aeronautical  and  aerospace  industry.  The  Europe  Bulletin  (11 December  1997)  also  reports  that
(cid:145)Bangemann  welcomes  initiative  by  Bonn,  Paris  and  London  in  view  of  greater  integration  of  the  aerospace
industry(cid:146).

Can the Council say whether it will remain indifferent to technological information from NATO?

(1)  OJ C 82, 17.3.1998, p. 82.

Answer

(8 June 1998)

The Council confirms that NATO reports on technology have not been brought to its attention and that there is no
forum for exchanging views with NATO on this subject. However Member States which are members both of the
Union and NATO could, if they so wish, draw on these reports for elements which could be relevant for the
discussion, within the Council, of the Commission communication on defence related industries.