WRITTEN QUESTION E-2901/00 by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Elections in Kosovo.
Date: 2000-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, Kosovo, UN resolution, cooperation policy, cultural identity, local election, sociocultural group

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/209

The Austrian and European timber industry has consistently argued against such a classification, since it
has always been convinced that untreated wood dust poses no risk to the health of workers and considers
the concept of hardwood dust to be too broad and much too imprecise. All the studies on which the
decision was based concentrated on wood dust.

A study carried out over several years by the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg has now
confirmed that the cause does not lie with dust from untreated wood, specifically oak and beech dust, but
with the contamination of wood dust with certain chemicals.

Is the Commission aware that the scientific basis for Council Directive 1999/38/EC of 29 April 1999
amending for the second time Directive 90/394/EEC on the protection of workers from the risks related to
exposure to carcinogens at work has been contradicted by a study carried out by the German Timber
Trade Association?

What action will the Commission take in response to the results of the Timber Trade Association study?

(1) OJ L 138, 1.6.1999, p. 66.
(2) OJ L 196, 26.7.1990, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 October 2000)

Council Directive 1999/38/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to
carcinogens at work and extending it to mutagens includes (cid:145)work involving exposure to hardwood dusts(cid:146)
according to the proposal of the scientific committee for occupational exposure limits (SCOEL).

The Commission is aware of
research centre (Deutschen
Krebsforschungszentrum) in Heidelberg. The study was presented in June 2000 by a scientific expert of
the Holz-Berufsgenossenschaft to the SCOEL and extensively discussed.

the new study by the German cancer

Although there is an indication that wood dust might not be the only cause of nasal tumours in animals
used in experiments, the results are regarded as preliminary. Questions mainly concerning re-evaluation of
the inflammatory process were addressed by the SCOEL to the author of the study. If, on receipt of this
additional data, the Commission decides it is appropriate to reconsider the issue of carcinogenicity of
wood dusts, it will do so.

(2001/C 113 E/224)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2901/00

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(18 September 2000)

Subject: Elections in Kosovo

The UN representative in Kosovo, Mr Kouchner, has announced that municipal elections will be held in
Kosovo at the end of October 2000. In the light of European Union declarations concerning the creation
of a multicultural Kosovo, will the Council say how that objective can be achieved by means of the
recently announced elections when the overwhelming majority of Kosovo Serbs have been driven out and
the rest are living with the fear of being killed?

Reply

(20 November 2000)

The Council is following developments in Kosovo very closely. It has on a number of occasions stated its
full support for UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999 and for the efforts of UNMIK and
KFOR to implement all aspects of it.

C 113 E/210

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

supports

representative,
the decision taken by the UN Secretary-General(cid:146)s
The Council
Bernard Kouchner, on 12 August 2000 concerning the holding of municipal elections in Kosovo on
28 October 2000. It also supports all the efforts made by Mr Kouchner and UNMIK to ensure that non-
Albanian minorities are included in the electoral process and represented in future local institutions, in
order to preserve the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic nature of Kosovo.

special

Via the Commission and Member States(cid:146) bilateral aid, the European Union has provided substantial
assistance to the Kosovo Serbs with regard to: security (contribution to UN police forces, support for the
creation of an impartial judicial system), the media (financial support for Serbian radio in Kosovo, cross-
ethnic and multicultural television and radio programmes) and infrastructures in the neighbourhoods or
municipalities with a Serb majority (restoration of water and electricity supply systems, building of schools,
public transport, etc.).

(2001/C 113 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2902/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(18 September 2000)

Subject: Number of MEPs in the European Parliament

In view of the recent statement by the leader of Her Majesty(cid:146)s Opposition in the UK that (cid:145)we could easily
knock 100 seats off the European Parliament(cid:146) (1) could the Council outline the process that would have to
be gone through to reduce the current European Parliament from 626 to 526?

Would the Council take the view that this is an easy task?

(1) Quoted in GC magazine, September 2000, p. 142.

Reply

(16 November 2000)

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that, under Article 48 (ex Article N) of the Treaty on
European Union, it is for the intergovernmental conference, i.e. the representatives of the Governments of
the Member States, to adopt by common accord the amendments to be made to the Treaties. It is not for
the Council to comment on the proceedings of the intergovernmental conference.

(2001/C 113 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2904/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 September 2000)

Subject: Employment in UK tobacco manufacturing

What is the Commission(cid:146)s estimate of the number of jobs (if any) in the UK tobacco manufacturing sector
which may be lost or created as a result of provisions in the proposed directive on the manufacture,
presentation and sale of tobacco products relating to:

1. new limits on the amount of tar per cigarette;

2.

restrictions on the export of tobacco products not conforming to EU standards?