WRITTEN QUESTION E-1211/00 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Deutsche Post and the German Government.
Date: 2000-04-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, control of State aid, infringement of EU law, postal service

C 46 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

2. Will the Council now register its opposition to German aid in constructing a new military chemicals
laboratory in Turkey in the light of the answers to question 1?

(a)

If not, what are the Council(cid:146)s reasons for not registering its opposition to German aid in constructing
a new military chemicals laboratory in Turkey, given that this is a violation of the CWC?

(b)

If so, in what way will the Council make its opposition known to the German government?

(1) OJ C 280 E, 3.10.2000, p. 38.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1203/00, E-1204/00 and E-1205/00

(10 July 2000)

All EU Member States are States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their destruction (CWC).

Article VIII of the Convention established the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) (cid:145)to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of
compliance with it(cid:146). All States Parties to the CWC are members of the OPCW. This is the organisation
entrusted with the verification of compliance by States Parties with the provisions of the Convention.

The specific questions referred to by the Honourable Member have not been raised within the Council or
the Council bodies.

(2001/C 46 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1211/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(14 April 2000)

Subject: Deutsche Post and the German Government

The German Government has granted a legal monopoly to Deutsche Post and fixed stamp prices, resulting
in Deutsche Post gaining a substantially higher income than is necessary to ensure universal service.
Deutsche Post has been able to use this financial advantage to subsidise Deutsche Post(cid:146)s commercial parcel
delivery services (putting competitors of this service at an immediate disadvantage) and also to make
acquisitions throughout the EU (e.g. Deutsche Post has acquired 50 % of Securicor Distribution and has
also purchased Herald International Mailings).

The Commission has already indicated that the support given by the German Government to Deutsche
Post seems to involve state aid. Will the Commission now state clearly whether or not this is actually the
case, and if so what action the Commission intends to take to prevent this infringement of EU legislation?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(26 May 2000)

The Commission decided on 20 July 1999 to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88 (2)
(ex Article 93) of the EC Treaty in respect of possible state aid granted to Deutsche Post AG.

The procedure covers the whole range of state aid allegations concerning Deutsche Post AG: use of
revenues of monopoly letter service to cover losses of parcel activities, use of such revenues for
acquisitions, use of proceeds from real estate transferred to Deutsche Post AG to finance acquisitions,
state guarantee for debts, and coverage of pension obligations by state.

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/147

The Commission is currently examining the observations received from the German Government and
interested parties. Since the examination is still pending no indications about the possible outcome of the
investigations can be given at this stage.

(2001/C 46 E/169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1212/00

by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission

(14 April 2000)

Subject: Fire resistance standards for furniture in the single market

Is the Commission aware that at present furniture in the single market meets two different standards of fire
resistance? In the UK and Eire furniture meets a higher flammability resistance than the rest of Europe.
Since the introduction of legislation in the UK there has been a 50 % reduction in fire deaths.

Work done by the European standardisation body (CEN) has produced agreement on test methods for
cigarettes and match ignition sources, but has failed to deliver progress on post ignition fire tests using
larger ignition sources, which are essential for upholstered furniture safety, principally in the home but
also in places of public assembly. This lack of progress is despite considerable expenditure by the
Commission.

Is the Commission satisfied with this lack of progress and what pressure will it bring to bear to ensure
rapid progress on agreeing post ignition fire tests standards and that the tests are applied in regulation at
the earliest opportunity?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2000)

The Commission follows safety issues closely, including those relating to fire. It is aware that effective fire
safety depends on national or local authorities taking measures on all factors affecting fire risk, such as
building regulations, fire-reaction and fire-resistance requirements, evacuation arrangements, the presence
of fire-fighting devices (sprinklers), and public information. A comprehensive policy can therefore be
implemented only at the appropriate national level.

Furniture(cid:146)s resistance to the spread of flames is one such factor, and in the absence of specific Community
harmonisation on furniture it is up to the Member States, within the framework of Council Directive 92/
59/EEC of 29 June 1992 on general product safety (1), to protect the health and safety of people and goods
by means of appropriate national regulations and standards.

However, the Commission(cid:146)s proposal of 29 March 2000 (2) to amend the General Product Safety Directive
introduces provisions to ensure that products which meet European standards drawn up by the European
standardisation institutes in response to mandates from the Commission be deemed to comply with the
safety criteria laid down by the Directive.

In the light of these proposed new provisions, the Commission intends to check whether new standards
are needed, or whether existing standards need to be modified, in various areas of interest for consumer
safety. This will include the various aspects of fire safety. Should a particular aspect prove to require a
standardisation mandate, and assuming there is sufficient agreement among the parties concerned, the
Commission might consider drawing up such a mandate.

(1) OJ L 228, 11.8.1992.
(2) COM(2000) 140 final.