WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3930/98 by Graham MATHER Emission limit values for motorcycles
Date: 1999-01-04
Institutions: European Parliament, MATHER
Subjects: applied research, atmospheric pollutant, clean technology, combustion gases, cost-effectiveness analysis, cycle and motorcycle industry, non-polluting vehicle, two-wheeled vehicle

29.11.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 341/21

(1999/C 341/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3929/98

by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Code of Conduct on Business Taxation (cid:25) Commissioner Monti’s statement to the European

Parliament on 7 December 1998

At his meeting with the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy in the European
Parliament of 7 December 1998, Commissioner Monti stated that the Code of Conduct on Business Taxation
was causing certain Member States to exercise ‘self-discipline’ in that they had decided not to introduce certain
tax measures which might have been in breach of the principles of the Code.

Can the Commissioner please specify to which tax measures in which Member States he was referring?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 1999)

It is not for the Commission to comment on tax considerations in individual Member States but, to the best of
the knowledge of the Commission, since the adoption of the code of conduct for business taxation all Member
States have refrained from introducing any new tax measures that are harmful within the meaning of the code.

Several proposed new tax measures have, however, been referred to the code of conduct group for future
consideration, although the confidentiality of the group’s work prohibits the Commission from specifying
which measures they might be.

It should also be noted that proposals have already been made by national governments to withdraw or phase
out certain measures that might fall within the scope of the code.

(1999/C 341/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3930/98

by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Emission limit values for motorcycles

The European Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (ACEM) recently submitted to the Commission a
research study on motorcycle exhaust gases.

Can the Commission please tell me what consideration this report has received, briefly describe what other
evidence has been submitted for consideration in the debate on ELVs for motorcyles and indicate its current
thinking on this issue?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(26 February 1999)

The European Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (ACEM) submitted the final report on its programme of
research into pollution from motorcycles to the Commission on 18 March 1998.

This report, which was drawn up at the Commission’s request, indicates the cost and effectiveness of various
technologies enabling emissions from motorcycles to be reduced by 2002/2005 with a view to the application
of Article 5 of Directive 97/24/EC of 17 June 1997 on certain components and characteristics of two or three-
wheel motor vehicles (1).

At the request of the Commission, the ACEM presented the results of its work to a group of experts in May/
June 1998, following which the Commission decided to carry out further investigations so as to be able to use
the raw data from the programme to develop a number of scenarios for future regulation and compare them
under the Auto/Oil II programme with other measures taken to reduce atmospheric pollution from other
motor vehicles.