WRITTEN QUESTION E-2032/99 by Inger Schörling (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Drinks packaging.
Date: 1999-11-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU statistics, packaging product, waste recycling

24.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 303 E/25

down in Article 16.3 a requirement that Member States must submit to the Commission in a harmonised
form basic information on veterinary checks carried out under this Directive. This Article was initially
implemented by Commission Decision 98/470/EC of 9 July 1998 implementing Council Directive 89/662/
EEC as regards information on veterinary checks (8) which put in place the framework requirements for the
collection and submission of information, and contained one annex dealing with the sector for fresh meat.

A draft decision for the next sector, that covering poultry meat, is currently in preparation prior to being
submitted to the standing veterinary committee. The Commission has the intention to produce further
draft decisions to extend the sectors of activity for which information must be gathered and submitted to
the Commission.

In addition to the measures explained above it is important that Member States bilaterally agree on
measures concerning cases of suspected or proven irregularities in certificates in accordance with Article 8
of Directive 89/662/EEC.

(1) OJ L 243, 11.10.1995.
(2) OJ L 243, 11.10.1995.
(3) OJ L 243, 11.10.1995.
(4) OJ 121, 29.7.1964.
(5) OJ L 303, 31.10.1990.
(6) OJ L 55, 8.3.1971.
(7) OJ L 295, 30.12.1989.
(8) OJ L 208, 24.7.1998.

(2000/C 303 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2032/99

by Inger Sch(cid:246)rling (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 November 1999)

Subject: Drinks packaging

The consumption of drinks packaging in the EU is very high and is damaging the environment. Has the
Commission done anything to promote reusable drinks packaging, for instance? If so, how much money
has it made available? How does it view the prospects for introducing an EU-wide system of standard
returnable packaging that can be reused anywhere in the EU? Has it any idea of how much drinks
packaging is consumed in the EU every day?

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

(4 January 2000)

The encouragement of reuse systems of packaging in the Member States is one of the measures foreseen
by Council Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste (1) in order to
prevent or reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste provided that the packaging can be reused
in an environmentally sound manner in conformity with the EC Treaty. However, no specific financial
instrument has been foreseen for this purpose at Community level.

The setting up of a European system for reuse is a rather complex issue where several aspects
(standardisation, transport distances) play a role. This makes it difficult to harmonise the existing reuse
systems, which have historically developed along different lines. Moreover, the need to ensure a high level
of environmental protection has to be combined with internal market rules.

As a first step in view of the promotion of reuse systems, the Commission launched a study aimed at
describing the present situation and the constraints which hamper the further development of reuse
systems. The study was completed recently and is available on the web site: http://www.europa.eu.int/
comm/environment/waste/report4.htm. The contents of this study express the opinion of its authors.

C 303 E/26

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

24.10.2000

The Commission will take advantage of the revision process of Directive 94/62/EC, which should start
before the end of 1999, to improve the reuse systems of packaging in the Member States.

According to the most recent data, the total quantity of packaging waste in the Community is about
61 million tonnes per year, of which 14 million tonnes for liquid beverage containers (11 million tonnes
glass, 1 million tonnes plastics, 1 million tonnes metals and 1 million tonnes beverage composites).

(1) OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.

(2000/C 303 E/022)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2078/99

by Mary Banotti (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 November 1999)

Subject: Incentives to use bicycles

Can the Commission tell me what incentives, schemes or guidelines exist, if any, to encourage the use of
bicycles for employees in the public sector in particular or indeed in the private sector?

Is the Commission aware that some state funded companies encourage by financial
ownership and use of the private motor car, whereas no such incentives are offered to cyclists?

incentive,

the

Can the Commission tell me if there are any proposals to investigate the promotion of incentives for the
use of the bicycle by, for example, looking at a mileage allowance in work related trips?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

The Commission appreciates that employers have a key role to play in promoting sustainable mobility by
encouraging staff to make greater use of alternatives to private cars, such as walking, cycling, public
transport and car sharing (1).

In line with the principle of subsidiarity, authorities and employers in the Member States must take the
lead in matters of local and regional transport. Therefore, the Community has adopted no incentives,
schemes or guidelines on this subject.

The Commission does not presently hold the data that would allow it to answer the Honourable Member(cid:146)s
questions. However, it has initiated two projects that will provide relevant information in the future. It
recently commissioned a study of (cid:145)unconventional forms of charging and taxation to support public
transport, and taxation (dis)-incentives in commuter transport(cid:146). This study is due to report in spring 2000.
It will summarise how Member States(cid:146) taxation systems affect incentives for individuals to choose different
forms of transport to work, and for employers to help them with their travel arrangements -including
bicycle use. In partnership with six member states, the Commission has established the European platform
on mobility management (EPOMM). This will share good practice on how public and private organisations
are encouraging sustainable transport patterns among employees and visitors. This information will be
made available via the internet.

To help transport authorities, operators and user groups find out about good practice in local and regional
transport, the Commission also sponsors the European local transport information service (Eltis) (www.el-
tis.org). This includes more than three hundred case studies, of which several (cid:129) like the Helsinki cycling
strategy and the Nottingham Commuter Planners Club (cid:129) deal with initiatives which aim to promote cycle