WRITTEN QUESTION E-0747/00 by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Jobs reliant on EU membership.
Date: 2000-03-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United Kingdom, accession to the European Union, export (EU), job cuts

C 26 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.1.2001

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

(12 April 2000)

The Commission supports strongly the development and use of renewable energy sources, such as the use
of wind power and envisages a percentage of 12 % of final energy consumption by 2010. This will help
achieve the Kyoto target of minus 8 % and deal with other environmental problems such as acidification or
ozone. Obviously, wind-energy plays an important role in such strategies and was one of the fastest
growing industries in the Community in 1999. Using alternative methods for energy production does not
exclude, however, that such activities might have significant environmental impact in certain situations
which should be identified, assessed and taken into account in decision-making. The design and building of
wind-farms should take account of other environmental problems which might be encountered so one
environmental problem is not replaced by another. Such evaluation does not hamper or delay the use of
wind-energy but ensures an environmentally sound approach.

Directive 97/11/EC amending the first environmental
impact assessment (EIA) Directive does not give
details concerning the notion (cid:145)wind farms(cid:146). It is to be noted that the logic for all activities listed in annex II
of Directive 97/11/EC is that it is up to the Member States to determine the details (thresholds and criteria)
above which a significant environmental impact is likely to occur. Such determination might differ from
one Member State to another depending on specific characteristics. In some cases a wind-farm may consist
of at least two wind turbines only which might cause significant environmental impact (e.g. when being
placed close to a bird protected area) whereas in others several wind turbines might form a wind-farm.

As regards details of how the different Member States have transposed the notion (cid:145)wind-farm(cid:146) in their
national legislation, it is to be noted that eight Member States, including Germany, still have not fully
transposed Directive 97/11/EC. The Commission therefore does not have all information necessary to
is defined differently using a
answer the question. According to available information (cid:145)wind-farm(cid:146)
combination of thresholds and criteria (e.g. The Netherlands: (cid:145)where the overall capacity of wind-mills is
of 10 MW or more/year or 10 or more wind-mills(cid:146), United Kingdom:
(cid:145)the installation of more than
2 turbines or where the hub height of any turbine or height of any other structure exceeds 15 metres(cid:146);
Italy: at national level legislation all industrial plants producing power exploiting the wind are subject to
screening but if they fall in a nature conservation area they are automatically subject to environmental
impact assessment).

(2001/C 26 E/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0747/00

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2000)

Subject: Jobs reliant on EU membership

The British government has stated that 3 445 000 jobs depend solely on exports to the EU. Is this
comparable with Commission estimates?

Has the Commission made any assessment of how many UK jobs would be at risk if Britain failed to
integrate further into the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 2000)

The Commission has not made an estimate of how many jobs in Britain depend solely on exports to the
Community. It would not therefore dissent from the estimate of the British government.

26.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 26 E/103

The Commission has not made any assessment of how many British jobs would be at risk if Britain failed
to integrate further into the Union.

(2001/C 26 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0749/00

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2000)

Subject: Dutch legislation on termination of pregnancy

Is the Commission aware of the proposed changes in Dutch legislation allowing abortion in pregnancies
over 24 weeks on the grounds that the babies have a disability and does the Commission consider that
such a law would be contrary to Article 6 of the Treaties?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(11 May 2000)

The Commission has not been informed and is not aware of any proposals for changes to Dutch law with
regard to abortions to be allowed after the 24th week of pregnancy. In any event, the Commission
generally does not think it appropriate to deal with hypothetical questions, such as those that might be
raised by draft laws that may or may not be enacted.

(2001/C 26 E/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0751/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 March 2000)

Subject: Rome Convention

What meetings have taken place on the proposed legislation on non-contractual obligations (Projet de
communication sur la loi applicable aux obligations non-contractuelles (Rome II)) to replace the Rome
Convention in the last six months? Where did these meetings take place? Have ministers of Member States
discussed this proposal in the last six months? If so, on what occasions and what were their conclusions? If
ministers were not involved, what level of civil servants attended the meetings? Which officials attended
the meetings?

Which Council officials and/or department have overall charge of negotiations on Rome II? Is the inter-
service consultation document (DG JAI D (99) 495 (cid:129) Communication de la Commission sur la loi
applicable aux obligations non-contractuelles), which is in circulation at the present time, available in
English? If the answer to this question is yes, from whom may a copy be obtained? If the answer is no,
why is no copy available in English? What is the content of the inter-service consultation document? When
is the outcome of the inter-service consultation expected?

Are any outside bodies being consulted on this proposal? If so, which groups are being consulted and how
are these groups selected?

When is publication of a formal legislative proposal expected in this area? When is the legislative process
expected to be completed?