WRITTEN QUESTION E-1860/99 by Christos Folias (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. SMEs and environmental protection.
Date: 1999-10-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, EC Regulation, environmental monitoring, environmental policy, environmental protection, operational programme, small and medium-sized enterprises

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/35

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 1999)

(cid:145)Refund certificates(cid:146) were introduced by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/1999 of 23 July 1999
amending Regulation (EC) No 1222/94 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the
system of granting export refunds on certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not
covered by Annex II to the EC Treaty, and the criteria for fixing the amount of such refunds and repealing
Regulation (EC) No 1223/94 laying down special detailed rules for the application of the system of
advance-fixing certificates for certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by
Annex II to the EC Treaty (1) to ensure that the request of the Community(cid:146)s international obligations under
the World trade organisation (WTO) with regard to products outside Annex I (ex Annex II) EC Treaty.

Among other things, this regulation stipulates that the applicant for a refund certificate must provide
security to ensure that the refunds for which he has applied are equal to the amount of export refunds for
which the certificate was issued, and that the exports in question were effected while the certificate was
valid. Applications for certificates are therefore only valid if a security is given for an amount equivalent to
25 % of the amount written on the certificate.

Article 8 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85 of 22 July 1985 laying down common detailed
rules for the application of the system of securities for agricultural products (2) states that a security can be
given in the form of a cash deposit or in some other form. Article 15 stipulates that in the case of a cash
deposit, no interest shall be paid. This stipulation has been in force since 1985. It should be emphasised
that a cash deposit is only one of several ways in which a security can be given, and that a cash deposit is
of course released as soon as the applicant can show compliance with the conditions listed in the previous
paragraph.

Moreover, companies with total applications for export refunds of less than € 20 000 in a given year may
export goods without possession of a refund certificate, as long as the budget allowed for this facility has
not been exhausted.

(1) OJ L 201, 31.7.1999.
(2) OJ L 205, 3.8.1985.

(2000/C 219 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1860/99

by Christos Folias (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 October 1999)

Subject: SMEs and environmental protection

SMEs very often pursue activities which pollute the environment. Taking preventive measures to pursue
for SMEs, which is
those activities in an environmentally friendly manner creates a certain cost
incorporated into the price of their products or services, sometimes making them less competitive. This
extraneous cost then acts as a disincentive to developing the ideas and methods required for environmental
management.

Experience gained in implementing the EMAS Regulation (eco-management and audit scheme) shows that
SMEs avoid taking part in the scheme as they fear that their operating costs and, by extension, the prices
of their products or services will increase. There is, therefore, a need to find fresh incentives (financial or
otherwise, particularly in the context of the 3rd CSF) and, possibly, to create a specific financial instrument
(cid:129) other than the LIFE programme (cid:129) to strengthen the environmental dimension of SMEs.

C 219 E/36

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.8.2000

Will the Commission say:

1. what incentives there are for this purpose to date;

2. what experience has been gained from applying them and what assessment has been made of that

experience;

3. what further measures it will take to attain the above objectives?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(7 December 1999)

As far as the Eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) is concerned, this system is designed to function
as a market instrument. It relies on market forces such as supply chain pressure and peer pressure to drive
its adoption by organisations. This is by far the most equitable approach to small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs), since if the adoption of EMAS is required for a particular contract then the conditions
are the same for all organisations tendering for that contract, thus creating a level playing field. Experience
of EMAS to date has shown that organisations of all sizes can participate. A recent study on EMAS showed
that in terms of number of employees some 32 % of those participating in EMAS are SMEs. The smallest
participant is in fact a three-man organisation in the United Kingdom. The reported reluctance of SMEs to
participate in EMAS may be due to the fact that there is as yet insufficient penetration of EMAS into the
market and that the market has yet to deliver sufficient benefits to organisations participating in EMAS.
The revision of the regulation is intended to address these issues as well as to provide specific measures for
SMEs in terms of access to information and existing support funds. In addition, schemes for support have
been launched in different Member States and the Commission intends to publicise these on the EMAS
website.

EMAS(cid:146) introduction is being co-financed by action 3.2.6 of measure 3.2 (cid:145)Modernisation of businesses(cid:145) of
the (cid:145)Industry(cid:146) operational programme (OP), within the Community Support Framework (CSF) for Greece
during the current programming period (1994-1999). The purpose of the said action is to help develop
the certification of environmental management systems, in accordance with EMAS and with ISO (Interna-
tional Standards Organisation) standard 14001, in industry and in industrial SMEs. Action 3.2.7 of the
same measure provides support for businesses to introduce the (cid:145)ecolabel(cid:146). The total budget for the measure
is € 702 408, with a contribution of € 193 809 from the European Regional Development Fund.

A series of studies on the introduction of EMAS in certain public sector industrial enterprises is being
funded through the (cid:145)Environment(cid:146) OP of the same CSF. The total budget for this action is € 354 000. The
results,
firms which have obtained certification, will be evaluated upon
completion of the programme at the end of 2001.

including the number of

As the draft Greek CSF for the next programming period (2000-2006) has only just reached the
Commission, it is still too early to say what projects might come under it.

The 2000-2006 structural
funds can provide incentives to SMEs to register under EMAS (or other
measures to go beyond the regulatory minimum). These incentives can be direct or indirect. On the one
hand, the structural funds could provide financial support to SMEs implementing EMAS. On the other
hand, being registered under EMAS could give SMEs a priority in any other financial support scheme,
irrespective of its aim. The communication from the Commission on the structural funds and their
coordination with the cohesion fund (cid:129) guidelines for programmes in the period 2000-2006 (1) recom-
mended the Member States to follow this path. It is now up to Member States, preparing their 2000-2006
plans and programmes, to make use of the possibilities offered by the structural funds to promote EMAS
amongst SMEs.

It is also worth mentioning that, at the initiative of the Parliament, the Growth and environment scheme
was established in 1995. This is managed by the European Investment Fund, with budgetary support from
the Commission. Under this scheme, loans issued to SMEs by intermediary banks in the Member States for
environment-related investment are guaranteed, thus providing the SMEs with cheaper loans.

(1) COM(1999) 344 final.