WRITTEN QUESTION E-1891/99 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Field trials of genetically modified crops.
Date: 1999-10-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: environmental protection, environmental risk prevention, farming sector, genetically modified organism, precautionary principle, testing

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/43

Council Directive 92/14/EC of 2 March 1992 on the limitation of the operation of aeroplanes covered by
Part II, Chapter 2, Volume 1 of Annex 16 to the Convention on international civil aviation, second edition
(1988) (1) aims at gradually phasing out those aircraft (the co-called Chapter 2 aircraft) that do not meet
the most recent noise standard. The phase-out started on 1 April 1995 and will be finalised on 1 April
2002. This Directive provides for a derogation from the phase-out until 1 April 2002 for aircraft fitted
with engines having a by-pass ratio of more than 2, which is the case for some of the Russian built
aircraft.

(1) OJ L 76, 23.3.1992, amended by Council Directive 98/20/EC, OJ L 107, 7.4.1998.

(2000/C 219 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1891/99

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: Field trials of genetically modified crops

When the Commission agreed to field trails of genetically modified crops, did it take into account Article
130r(2) of the Maastricht Treaty establishing the EU?

Community policy on the environment shall aim at a high level of protection taking into account the
diversity of situations in the various regions of the Community. It shall be based on the precautionary
principle and on the principles that preventive action should be taken, that environmental damage
should as a priority be rectified at source and that the polluter should pay. Environmental protection
requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of other Community policies.

In this context, harmonisation measures answering these requirements shall include, where appro-
priate, a safeguard clause allowing Member States to take provisional measures, for non-economic
environmental reasons, subject to a Community inspection procedure.

Will the Commission explain how the decision on GM trials was arrived at?

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

(7 December 1999)

Field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops are authorised under Council Directive 90/220/EEC of
23 April 1990 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms (1). Part B
of the Directive sets out the authorisation procedure for deliberate releases of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) for research and development purposes.

The Directive is based on the principle that preventive action should be taken in relation to releases which
may affect the environment and that due attention should be paid to the protection of human health and
the environment when controlling the risks from release of GMOs. The Directive insists that a case by case
environmental risk assessment must be carried out prior to any release.

Article 4 of the Directive states that Member States shall ensure that all appropriate measures are taken to
avoid adverse effects on human health and the environment which might arise from a deliberate release. It
also requires each Member State to designate a competent authority responsible for carrying out the
requirements of the Directive.

In practical terms, a release for research and development purposes, such as a GM crop field trial, can only
happen with the consent of the competent authority for the Member State concerned. In order to gain
consent, a notification must be submitted by the company or person concerned. The notification must

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1.8.2000

include a technical dossier, supplying the information necessary to evaluate foreseeable risks, whether
immediate or delayed, and an evaluation of the impact and risks posed by the GMOs to human health or
the environment.

The competent authority evaluates this information and, if satisfied that the requirements of the Directive
have been met, forwards the information to all Member States for their opinions. The role of the
Commission is to facilitate the exchange of information. The release can only proceed with written
consent of the competent authority of the Member State.

If information becomes available subsequently to the competent authority which could have significant
consequences for the risks posed by the release, the competent authority may require the notifier to
modify the conditions of the deliberate release, or suspend or terminate it.

(1) OJ L 117, 8.5.1990.

(2000/C 219 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1897/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: Leader II (1994-1999)

The total amount allocated to Italy from the Community(cid:146)s structural funds for the Leader II Community
initiative on rural development
to approx.
LIT 546 billion).

for the period 1994-1999 is ECU 282 million (equal

Will the Commission state what agencies (public or private),
institutions, companies, cooperatives and
individuals have been allocated funding under Leader II (specifying whether payments have already been
made) and how much each of them has been allocated?

Has it checked how the amounts have actually been used and whether the proposed measures have been
successfully implemented?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 1999)

For the period 1994-1999 an overall Community contribution of €329 million was allocated to Italy for
the purposes of the Leader II Community Initiative.

A notable feature of Leader II is its decentralised implementation (in line with the competences of each
local collective body) under the subsidiarity principle.

As indicated in the Notice to Member States on Leader II (1) each rural innovation programme of each LAG
(local action group: combination of public and private partners implementing a multisectoral development
strategy in a rural area forming a local community) can span a number of fields of action and categories of
recipient.

The Commission does not take part in selection of the LAGs, in Italy numbering 200, and approval of the
local action plans to be implemented by them falls to the Member State, specifically to the decision-making
partnership at regional
level. The individual projects are selected by the LAGs with due respect for
Community policies and the eligibility criteria set in the Structural Fund provisions.

The detailed information sought by the Honourable Member cannot therefore be provided at this time.