WRITTEN QUESTION E-1758/00 by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU Bathing Water Directive.
Date: 2000-05-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: amendment of a law, bathing water, drafting of EU law

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/185

Has the Commission also initiated infringement proceedings against Belgium for lack of independence in
the selection panel in view of the above information? If not, does the Commission not consider it should
do so? Does the Commission not think that the professional connection between Mr Giulianelli and one of
the architects from the winning firm (cid:129) Mr Lallemand (cid:129) contradicts the principle of
the panel(cid:146)s
independence with regard to the participants?

How can the Commission state in its reply to question P-2255/99 that it does not share responsibility for
the management of the competition when it was represented on the panel? Should it not, during the
competition, have made use of its powers to ensure observance of Community directives, particularly
Directive 92/50/EEC?

(1) OJ C 203 E, 18.7.2000, p. 157.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 June 2000)

As indicated in the answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question P-2255/99 (1), the Commission
has obtained further information from the national authorities under the infringement proceedings
provided for in Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty which it has brought against Belgium. This
information relates to the new facts mentioned by the Honourable Member in the above-mentioned
Written Question and concerns the composition and independence of the members of the selection panel
and also the procedure for assessing the tenders. The Commission is currently analysing in depth the
Belgian authorities(cid:146) answer to this new request for information, as well as their reply to the letter of formal
notice.

With regard to the more specific question concerning the Commission(cid:146)s involvement in the competition in
question, the Commission can only reiterate the statement already made in the answers to the Honourable
Member(cid:146)s Written Questions P-1486/99 (2) and P-2255/991 on the same matter:
the awarding
authority in this case is the Brussels-Capital Region. The presence of a Commission official on the selection
panel does not prejudice the Commission(cid:146)s power, assigned to it by the EC Treaty, to ensure that Member
States(cid:146) awarding authorities comply with Community law, particularly with regard to public procurement.

that

(1) OJ C 203 E, 18.7.2000, p. 157.
(2) OJ C 27 E, 29.1.2000.

(2001/C 53 E/240)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1758/00

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstr(cid:246)m (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: EU Bathing Water Directive

The EU(cid:146)s 25-year-old bathing water directive urgently requires revision. Particular attention should be paid
to the necessary organoleptic assessments, since optical assessments of bathing water are often misleading.

How does the Commission intend to ensure that the outdated bathing water directive is brought up to date
as soon as possible?

How does the Commission propose to amend the substance of the directive particularly as regards
substances requiring measurement, measuring procedures and organoleptic assessment, to enable the
results of measurements to be objective and comparable in all situations?

C 53 E/186

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

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

(20 July 2000)

The bathing water quality Directive 76/160/EEC (1) aims primarily at the monitoring of natural bathing
waters for waste water pollution, and in particular for faecal pollution. Member States have therefore the
obligation to take regular water samples and analyse them in qualified microbiological laboratories for the
presence of faecal indicators. Besides these laboratory analyses, the water has to be controlled for some
aesthetic parameters, which means checked visually for, amongst others, the presence of mineral oils and
persistent foam of detergents and an olfactory check for the presence of phenols. The control is in most
Member States performed by qualified and experienced personnel. However, it is possible that interpreta-
tion mistakes are made.

The Commission has been working intensively on the revision of the above directive since 1998. Trials on
beach surveys are carried out in most Member States, and an expert working group is working on all
monitoring aspects, including parameters and methods of analysis. The Commission will ensure in this
matter the greatest possible alignment with World health organisation (proposed) standards.

The Commission intends before the summer break to submit a communication to the Parliament and the
Council setting out the principles of the revision of the Directive. The communication will be the starting
interested parties which should culminate in the
point of a broad consultation process involving all
autumn of this year in a bathing water conference. The Commission envisages to put forward a proposal
for the revision in the first half of 2001.

(1) OJ L 312, 5.2.1976.

(2001/C 53 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1762/00

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Reorganisation of the DG for Energy and Transport

Further to the information given in the Commission(cid:146)s reply to Question E-0344/00 (1) and in spite of the
claim made in the reply that, overall, (cid:145)promotion of renewable energy has been strengthened in the new
organisation(cid:146), it should be pointed out that:

1.

2.

the ratio between the number of officials assigned to the energy sector (142) and those assigned to
transport
is much less favourable to the energy sector than was the case prior to the
reorganisation, when the numbers were much more equal;

(189)

the number of staff specifically assigned to renewables and energy efficiency has been cut by
approximately 20 %.

Given the repeated complaints about increasingly long delays in the processing of documents relating to
contracts being performed under various energy programmes (with particular reference to payments,
which in many cases are made over six months late), does the Commission intend to take immediate
action with a view to solving such problems once and for all? If it does, what will that action involve?

(1) OJ C 330 E, 21.11.2000, p. 134.