WRITTEN QUESTION No. 85/99 by Anita POLLACK Packaging Directive
Date: 1999-01-27
Institutions: European Parliament, POLLACK
Subjects: EU Member State, application of EU law, environmental policy, national implementing measure, packaging, packaging product, report, waste management, waste recycling

C 341/48

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.11.1999

Measures at Community level could only be considered if the establishment and functioning of the internal
market called for the approximation of the provisions currently applied by the Member States in this field. The
Commission is not aware of any circumstances calling for such action but would be interested in any further
information that could be supplied.

(1) OJ L 202, 30.7.1997.

(1999/C 341/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0085/99

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission

(27 January 1999)

Subject: Packaging Directive

Is there to be any review or evaluation of the effectiveness of the Packaging Directive (i.e. achievement of
targets, etc.) and, if so, when?

Will the Commission publish such a review?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 1999)

The implementation by Member States of Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (1), foreseen
for 30 June 1996, has been delayed for more than a year on average. This means that at present an assessment
of the practical situation in Member States would in general be done at a preliminary stage and not with all the
packaging waste management systems in full operation.

The Commission adopted Decision 97/138/EC for the provision of data on packaging and packaging waste (2)
on 3 February 1997. The formats should be completed on an annual basis, starting with the data for the year
1997 and should be provided to the Commission within 18 months of the end of the relevant year. The
Commission has adopted Decision 97/622/EC concerning questionnaires in the waste sector (3), which
includes one relative to the Packaging Directive. The first report will cover the period 1998 to 2000 inclusive.

A study on ‘European packaging waste management systems’, is to be initiated in April 1999 and the final
report should be ready by May 1999. Another study on the ‘Costs, benefits and cost-effectiveness of financial
pool systems’ is expected to start in March 1999 and the final version should be available by December 1999.
Both studies are intended to be available for general distribution.

On the basis of the above, the Commission intends to prepare by July 1999 a report on the practical
experience gained by Member States in the pursuance of the targets and the findings of scientific research and
evaluation techniques such as eco-balances.

(1) OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
(2) OJ L 52, 22.2.1997.
(3) OJ L 256, 19.9.1997.

(1999/C 341/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0099/99

by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(27 January 1999)

Subject: Exports of Norwegian cod < issuing of EUR 1 certificates

Cod exports from Norway to the EC are covered by a zero-tariff quota. Proof of origin is provided through the
issuing of EUR 1 certificates stamped by the respective authorities, which should first certify the origin of the
fish, a procedure which is repeatedly omitted. As a result, significant quantities of cod enter the EU < possibly