WRITTEN QUESTION E-2136/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Translation of harmonised standards pursuant to the lifts directive into the eleven official languages of the EU.
Date: 1999-11-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cenelec, ETSI, European Committee for Standardisation, European language, European standard, approximation of laws, competence of the Member States, directive (EU), lift, national implementing measure, operation of the Institutions, restriction on competition, standardisation, translation

C 330 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

In principle, liberalisation benefits consumers by increasing the competitiveness in the market, and
3.
thus allowing a wider choice among products at the best price. For the Community, agricultural trade has
not been liberalised completely, but the common agricultural policy reforms have made significant efforts
in shifting away from the most trade distortive policies (e.g. from price support to direct payments). This
already benefits consumers who no longer have to pay the implicit price of protection when buying
agricultural products. However, the input share of agricultural raw products has decreased over time for
most final products bought by the consumer.

Regarding international prices, because of the many variables involved (see 2) it is difficult to isolate
4.
the influence of trade liberalisation on price trends and price variability. For the Community, the reduction
in price support has led to lower prices for agricultural products, which partially translate into lower food
prices (as the agricultural raw material is only a small part of the final food product).

5.
There is no information concerning an improvement or a deterioration in food safety and quality
resulting from the opening up of markets and the Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. In the long
term the implementation of the SPS agreement is expected to improve food safety globally by way of co-
operation and technical assistance to developing countries (Article 9).

6.
The Community position that it has a right to establish higher standards of protection, for instance
compared to international Codex Alimentarius standards, has been recognised by the WTO appellate body.
It has also recognised that a WTO member could take measures founded in minority scientific views. Any
measures should be based on scientific risk assessment.

From the economic perspective,

trade liberalisation increases incomes through producers(cid:146) and
7.
consumers(cid:146) welfare. Producers enjoy larger markets and the opportunity of specialisation, and consumers
enjoy lower prices due to increased competition. Assuming simultaneous and mutual
liberalisation at
world level and competitive markets, the distribution of these benefits would be proportional to the degree
of liberalisation realised by each country and each sector. The distribution of the rise in welfare and
incomes, which can be achieved within a country due to trade liberalisation, depends also on the tax
regimes the country applies.

(2000/C 330 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2136/99

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 November 1999)

Subject: Translation of harmonised standards pursuant

to the lifts directive into the eleven official

languages of the EU

On 1 July 1999 European directive 95/16/EC (1) of 29 June 1995 became applicable to all new lifts. From
1 July 1997 to 30 June 1999 this directive was purely indicative. It was transposed into Belgian law
through royal decree of 10 August 1998 concerning lifts (Official Gazette of Belgium of 11 September
1998). The royal decree is therefore compulsory for all new lifts in the Belgian federation.

However, translation of the harmonised standards laid down by the European directive into the eleven
official languages of the European Union leaves something to be desired. At present the standards exist
only in three of
languages: German, English and French. This is a source of
discrimination between lift manufacturers in the 15 Member States. Only those who have a German,
English or French version of the harmonised standards can install new lifts trouble-free. Manufacturers
speaking other languages (Danish, Finnish, Greek, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish) are left
in the cold because they do not have the correct translation of the harmonised standards.

the eleven official

21.11.2000

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/9

the harmonised standards for lifts into Danish, Finnish, Greek,

Does the Commission feel that the principle of equality is jeopardised through the non-availability of
1.
the translation of
Italian, Dictum,
Portuguese(cid:146)s, Spanish and Swedish? If so, what action will it take to have the technical standards laid
down in the lifts directive translated forthwith into the eleven official languages of the European Union? If
not, what principles of European law does the Commission use to justify limited translation (German,
English and French) of the standards?

2.
Can the lifts directive be implemented properly if the harmonised standards have not been translated
into the eleven official languages of the European Union? If so, what arguments would the Commission
use in support of this position? If not, is application of the lifts directive impossible until a translation is
available for manufacturers who speak a different
Italian, Dutch,
Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish)?

language (Danish, Finnish, Greek,

(1) OJ L 213, 7.9.1995, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 2000)

European standards are drawn up by the European standards bodies in their official languages. In the
1.
case of the European committee for standardisation (CEN) and the European committee for electrotechnical
standardisation (Cenelec),
these are English, French and German. The European telecommunications
standards institute (ETSI) adopts its European standards in English. Such standards have to be transposed
into national standards by the national standards bodies. The internal rules of the European standards
bodies allow, but do not require, translation of European standards. The question of translation is a matter
entirely for the national standards bodies themselves and for national authorities. In various Member
States, translation has been made obligatory.

Given the specific role of harmonized standards, the Commission considers that all parties should have
access to such standards. Depending on the specific nature of the sector and the standard, and the
perceived needs of the market (cid:129) this may imply that there is a need to make those standards available in
the languages of
to national
standards bodies that translate harmonized standards into national languages.

the countries concerned. The Commission provides financial support

2.
Just as with all other (cid:145)new approach(cid:146) directives, the application of standards is voluntary in the
framework of Parliament and Council Directive 95/16/EC of 29 June 1995 on the approximation of the
laws of the Member States relating to lifts. New approach directives can be implemented without standards
or before they become available. Manufacturers have to meet the essential requirements of directives, not
to comply with harmonized standards. Standards are a useful tool to facilitate implementation, which
explains why in most cases harmonized standards are in fact translated.

(2000/C 330 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2361/99

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Council Directive 96/29/Euratom

Regarding Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM (1), allowing the presence of low level radiation in
1.
certain products, is there any way in which consumers and/or businesses can ascertain which products are
radiation-free and which are not? How does the Commission define which products are radiation-free?

2.
Regarding Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM, allowing the presence of low level radiation in
certain products, does the Commission anticipate any problems resulting from the varying standards