WRITTEN QUESTION P-0541/00 by Minerva Malliori (PSE) to the Commission. Mental health.
Date: 2000-02-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU action, disease prevention, health policy, mental health, public health

C 330 E/184

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

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

(23 March 2000)

In June 1989 two directives were adopted to control the emissions of certain pollutants from municipal
waste incineration plants: Council Directive 89/369/EEC of 8 June 1989 on the prevention of air pollution
from new municipal waste incineration plants (1) and Council Directive 89/429/EEC of 21 June 1989 on
the reduction of air pollution from existing municipal waste incineration plants (2).

These directives have made a considerable contribution to the reduction of emissions of pollutants in the
Community. However, their scope is restricted to municipal waste while incineration is increasingly used
as a means of treatment for other wastes, such as sewage sludge, clinical waste and tyres.

In 1994 Council Directive 94/67/EC of 16 December 1994 on the incineration of hazardous waste (3) was
adopted. This introduces conditions for the operation of plants for incinerating the most hazardous wastes.
It imposes more stringent standards for emissions than the 1989 directives for municipal waste incinera-
tion and introduces numerical emission limits for dioxins and furans.

In future, all three directives will be repealed and replaced by a single directive, which sets emission limit
values for all relevant pollutants. The Council adopted a common position on the future directive on
incineration on 25 November 1999 (4). The second reading will take place in March 2000 and the final
adoption is expected for autumn 2000. The proposed emission limit values will become applicable to
existing plants five years after the adoption of the directive, that is to say probably in autumn 2005.

(1) OJ L 163, 14.6.1989.
(2) OJ L 203, 15.7.1989.
(3) OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
(4) OJ C 25, 28.1.2000.

(2000/C 330 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0541/00

by Minerva Malliori (PSE) to the Commission

(21 February 2000)

Subject: Mental health

In view of the resolution on mental health adopted unanimously on 18 November 1999 at the meeting of
the Council of Health Ministers, the conclusions of the European Summit conference held under the
Finnish presidency and the observations by Mr Byrne, member of the Commission, concerning a set of
measures in the field of mental health, does the Commission in fact intend to take measures in this area
and if so what measures, particularly in view of quantitative and qualitative findings which reveal the
serious impact of mental disorders on European citizens in many areas of their everyday life?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(22 March 2000)

The Commission is currently developing a health strategy in which mental health will play a role. This
strategy will take account of the resolution on mental health of the Health Council and the conclusions of
the conference held under the Finnish Presidency.

Important developments in the area of mental health are already taking place under the Community action
programmes on health promotion and health monitoring. A report on the mental health promotion of
children has recently been published as a result of a project.