WRITTEN QUESTION E-1226/00 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Environment.
Date: 2000-04-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, economic consequence, environmental standard, greenhouse gas, transfer of businesses

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/149

(2001/C 46 E/171)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1226/00

by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 April 2000)

Subject: Environment

The Commission recently proposed a system of emissions trading amongst the different Member States to
facilitate, and reduce the cost of, compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, under which current emission levels
are to be brought down by 8 % over the period 2008-2012. The proposal refers to net emissions of the
gases in question throughout.

Does the Commission not believe that it would be more appropriate to adjust these values to emissions
per unit produced, thereby making our undertakings more competitive in environmental terms and
directly encouraging research into, and the development of, more environmentally friendly production
techniques?

What measures does it intend to take to dissuade our industry from relocating to countries with more
flexible legislation in this area?

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

(30 May 2000)

The Commission does not believe that it would be more appropriate to use (cid:145)emissions per unit produced(cid:146)
as a basis for meeting its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Most basically, this is because the Kyoto
Protocol(cid:146)s targets are absolute targets, and the Community(cid:146)s emissions of greenhouse gases must therefore
be reduced in absolute terms if its international commitments are to be honoured.

With regard to the possible relocation of industry outside the Community, it is to be noted that all the
Community(cid:146)s major industrialised competitors undertook emission reduction targets, the achievement of
which will also require policies to be put in place. It is likely, therefore, that companies located in other
industrialised countries will have to make efforts comparable with the efforts required of Community
companies.

With regard to the possible relocation of industry to developing countries that do not have targets to meet
under the Kyoto Protocol, it is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion that decisions on relocation depend upon a
multitude of factors, of which environmental criteria is only one. However, in the longer term, it is to be
expected that efforts to contain emissions will also have to be taken by developing countries if the
objectives of the Climate Change Framework Convention are to be met.

(2001/C 46 E/172)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1232/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(27 April 2000)

Subject: Presence of regions such as Galicia at meetings of the Fisheries Council of the European Union

The Spanish Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Jesœs Posada, said in Santiago de Compostela that
he doubted whether autonomous communities such as Galicia, which hold the corresponding powers and
have a large fishing industry, could represent the state at meetings of the Council of Ministers.

Does the Council share this view? Are there other Member States whose federal states or other internal
political entities already participate in the Fisheries Council?