WRITTEN QUESTION P-2844/00 by Minerva Malliori (PSE) to the Commission. Toxic chemicals in aeroplanes.
Date: 2000-09-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air quality, aircraft, common transport policy, transport safety

C 103 E/228

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

(2001/C 103 E/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2830/00

by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission

(6 September 2000)

Subject: Play equipment provided by local authorities

Could the Commission supply me with information regarding regulations governing play equipment
installed by local authorities on community sites?

If regulations do exist, how do small parish councils,
guidelines?

in particular, obtain a copy of such important

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

I would ask the Honourable Member to refer to the answers given by the Commission to written questions
E-3376/98 (1) from Mrs HultØn and E-1260/98 from Mr FernÆndez-Albor (2).

The work of the European standardisation body (CEN) concerning equipment for playgrounds has now
been completed. The standards in question are therefore available from the national standards bodies (the
British Standards Institution in the case of the United Kingdom).

They comprise a general standard concerning safety regulations and testing methods, the standards
concerning additional safety regulations and testing methods for certain specific types of equipment
(swings, slides, etc.), the standards concerning the installation, maintenance and use of playgrounds, and
the standards concerning surfacing materials.

in its new proposal for a Directive on general product
Lastly, the Commission would confirm that,
safety (3) (currently being examined by the Parliament and the Council), it proposed the adoption of stricter
Community rules on market surveillance by the national authorities. Greater market surveillance would do
much to improve the safety of consumers, notably concerning playground equipment.

(1) OJ C 320, 6.11.1999.
(2) OJ C 13, 20.1.1999.
(3) COM(2000) 139 final.

(2001/C 103 E/267)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2844/00

by Minerva Malliori (PSE) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Toxic chemicals in aeroplanes

International research has established that, in many types of aircraft, the air in the passenger cabin is laden
with chemicals, channelled through the ventilation system, posing a risk to the health of both passengers
and crew.

Does the Commission intend to carry out its own checks on the above issue and to take the measures
necessary to eliminate this public health risk?

3.4.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/229

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 September 2000)

The Commission is well aware of the doubts expressed by some as regards the quality of the air in civil
aircraft. It is also aware of the studies conducted in this area by various scientists and of the investigations
conducted by several European and foreign administrations.

No other aspect of those studies and investigations enables it to be concluded that there is a particular risk
the Commission stated in its
that justifies immediate action. Nevertheless, by way of a precaution,
communication on the protection of air passengers (1) that it was going to set up a group of independent
experts in order to identify the factors enabling it to form its own opinion. The work will be continued
during 2001.

(1) COM(2000) 365 final.

(2001/C 103 E/268)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2851/00

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(5 September 2000)

Subject: Aid from the European Union to NGOs in Denmark

1. Which private organisations (NGOs) active in Denmark in the field of action to combat racism and
xenophobia receive aid from the European Union?

2.

How much money does each of these organisations receive?

3. What documentary evidence does the Commission have to show that the aid granted is being used
for the stated purposes?

4. What documentary evidence does the Commission have to show that the recipient organisations are
democratically run or that their leaders represent actual legitimate interest groups that are able to fulfil the
objectives in respect of which money has been requested?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 2000)

Up until 1998, budget line B3-4114 (Measures to combat racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism) allowed
funding of specific actions against racism and xenophobia. In 1998, one organisation in Denmark, AOF (cid:129)
The Workers Education Association (Vejle) received funding (€ 106 258 for a project of multicultural
training of employers and employees (cid:145)Xenobus (cid:129) Europa bussen der Abner Dore(cid:146)).

In 1999, budget line B3-2006 (pilot projects on multicultural integration) allowed funding of pilot actions
in this field, but no Danish organisation was selected as a direct beneficiary under the calls for proposals
published by the Commission. Since these calls for proposals called for a trans-national partnership, some
of the beneficiaries work in partnership with Danish organisations.

For 2000, budget line B5-803 allows the Commission to prepare for the new Community programme on
combating discrimination proposed by the Commission on 25 November 1999 (1) in the framework of a
package of proposals under Article 13 of the EC Treaty. In this context, the Commission wishes to
subsidise initiatives which contribute to the development of policies and practice to combat discrimination
on grounds of racial and ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability, age and sexual orientation. The
selection process for projects to be funded in 2000 is nearing completion following a call for proposals.