WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2849/98 by Roberta ANGELILLI to the Commission. Noise pollution in Rome
Date: 1998-09-28
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: Latium, cultural event, impact study, motor vehicle, music, noise, noise pollution, public health, rail transport, road traffic

29.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 118/153

(1999/C 118/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2834/98

by Niall Andrews (UPE) to the Commission

(28 September 1998)

Subject: European Youth Parliament

Can the Commission say what the future holds for the European Youth Parliament following the recent
ruling of the European Court of Justice (c/106/98-12 May 1998)? As a result of this ruling the European
Commission has frozen some 100 lines of its budget. The European Youth Parliament is one of the
organisations whose funding has been suspended.

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(20 October 1998)

As the Honourable Member points out, the European youth parliament has in recent years received a
subsidy under budget line B3-1000, which does not have a legal basis.

On 10 June 1998, in response to the Court of justice(cid:146)s judgment of 12 May 1998, the Commission, which
has to ensure the correct application of Community legislation, decided to examine in depth the situation
of budget lines without a legal basis. Simultaneously, as a precaution, payments connected with these lines
were suspended. Following this analysis, the Commission was able to release most of these lines, at least
partly, but this was not possible in the case of line B3-1000.

However, the Commission has decided to examine on a case-by-case basis whether certain actions can
continue to receive support, in 1998, under lines it was not able to release. The demands of the European
youth parliament are being examined in this context.

In future, the position set out in a recent opinion delivered by the Parliament(cid:146)s committee on culture,
youth, education and the media will be taken into account. During Parliament(cid:146)s first reading of the draft
1999 budget, it recommended that the budget committee enter, in a new line created on the basis of part A
of the budget, aid earmarked for activities of the type carried out by the European youth parliament. If the
budgetary authority confirms this position, the problem of the lack of a legal basis which arose in 1998
will no longer apply next year.

(1999/C 118/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2849/98

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(28 September 1998)

Subject: Noise pollution in Rome

In a city such as Rome noise pollution is a major problem: noise is produced not only by trains,
motorcycles, mopeds, vehicles, the use of machines by those working outside, and so on, but also by a
further source of noise pollution which should be mentioned, the (cid:145)Roman Summer(cid:146), a festival of cultural
events, entertainment, games, gastronomy and sport. For a number of years the festival has been held in
Rome under the sponsorship of Rome City Council, the Region of Lazio and the Province of Rome. The
consequence of these events, for those living nearby, is a series of worrying health hazards caused by noise
pollution produced by evening concerts, open-air discos, and a large influx of vehicles into the district,
which continues late into the night. Italian law in this area provides for protection against noise pollution,
under Framework Law No 447 of 26 October 1995. However, since Law No 447/95 is a framework law, if
it is to be fully operative, concurrent legislative provisions must be issued, implementing ministerial
decrees adopted and regional laws issued. Unfortunately, to date, the adoption of these ministerial
provisions has not been completed and no regional law exists yet. As a result, Rome City Council is not
able to adopt rules to protect against noise pollution.