WRITTEN QUESTION P-3557/00 by Wilhelm Piecyk (PSE) to the Commission. Wreck of the Ievoli Sun and the role of the RINA classification society.
Date: 2000-11-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common transport policy, competence of the Member States, maritime safety

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/189

(2001/C 151 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3543/00

by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 November 2000)

Subject: Labelling of beef tending to disrupt the market

In the recent discussion on the compulsory labelling of beef the Commission has said that the new
directive in this field must not result in disruption of the market.

Is the Commission aware that German buying associations have largely stopped buying meat not

1.
emanating from Germany?

Does the Commission intend to tackle this unacceptable protectionism and obstacle to intra-

2.
Community trade?

3.

Is the Commission prepared to subject the compulsory labelling to a critical review?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2000)

The Commission is aware that the indication of origin on beef labels can and will have an effect on
commercial decisions. These decisions,
traders, cannot be considered as illegal
taken by individual
measures of protectionism.

Already in the past, the Commission noticed a certain (cid:145)national reflex(cid:146) in some Member States where beef
is labelled with full origin. This is the main reason why, in its proposal for a Council regulation providing
for the general rules for a compulsory beef labelling system (1), the Commission had included also the
possibility of (cid:145)EU origin(cid:146) labelling.

However the Council (unanimously) as well as the Parliament (by a very large majority) decided to limit
the origin indications on beef at the level of the name of the Member States concerned.

In conformity with its declaration made in Council on the adoption of Council Regulation (EC) No 2772/
1999 of 21 December 1999 providing for the general rules for a compulsory beef labelling system (2), the
Commission will continue to follow closely the evolution of intra-Community trade in the beef sector.

(1) COM(1999) 664 final.
(2) OJ L 334, 28.12.1999.

(2001/C 151 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3557/00

by Wilhelm Piecyk (PSE) to the Commission

(9 November 2000)

Subject: Wreck of the (cid:145)Ievoli Sun(cid:146) and the role of the RINA classification society

The chemical
tanker (cid:145)Ievoli Sun(cid:146), which has sunk, was given a clean bill of health by the RINA
classification society of Italy. The same classification society inspected the oil tanker (cid:145)Erika(cid:146), which sank
last December, and claims not to have noticed the vessel(cid:146)s manifestly dilapidated condition.

C 151 E/190

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

Will the Commission therefore state:

1. How it proposes to investigate whether RINA carried out an adequate survey of the (cid:145)Ievoli Sun(cid:146)?

2. Whether it is considering initiating proceedings against RINA in order to have the society(cid:146)s licence
withdrawn should its investigations show that the (cid:145)Ievoli Sun(cid:146) was classified as seaworthy despite
obvious defects?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2000)

It is regrettable that another tanker vessel has been lost in severe weather off the French coast. There are,
however, considerable differences between the two accidents: the (cid:145)Erika(cid:146) broke in two because of structural
failure, the (cid:145)Ievoli Sun(cid:146)s hull structure appears to have remained intact. The Commission is carefully
following the investigations carried out by the flag state, Italy, and the French authorities into the possible
causes of the latest accident.
In this respect, there is at this moment no evidence available to the
Commission suggesting that the accident is the direct consequence of any under performance by the
classification society, RINA.

In reply to the Honourable Member the Commission wishes to give the following information:

1. The Commission is not a flag state and has no powers to carry out maritime accident investigations,
which are for the flag state and the state where the accident took place. However, the Commission is
continuously monitoring the recognised organisations under Council Directive 94/57/EC of 22 Novem-
ber 1994 on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations and for the
relevant activites of maritimes administrations (1), one of which is RINA. In fact the Commission has
just received, from RINA, all relevant information about the (cid:145)Ievoli Sun(cid:146), and is the process of assessing
that material.

2.

Should there be evidence, from the official investigations or otherwise, that the accident was due to
investigate the possibility of using
under-performance on the part of RINA the Commission will
Article 9 of Directive 94/57/EC, e.g. withdrawal of recognition.

In this respect, however, the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention is drawn to the proposed amendments to the
above-mentioned Directive, introduced in the wake of (cid:145)Erika(cid:146), to strengthen the qualitative provisions in the
Directive and to introduce a further sanction (cid:129) temporary suspension of the licence to operate (cid:129) designed
for possible situations as described by the Honourable Member.

The Commission is hoping for the quick adoption of this amended directive.

(1) OJ L 319, 12.12.1994.

(2001/C 151 E/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3565/00

by Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission

(17 November 2000)

Subject: ILVA S.p.A., Taranto, Italy

Given that:

(cid:129) the Italian State is giving up its holdings in the iron and steel industry and selling ILVA S.p.A. to ILVA
laminati piani S.p.A., a company which is to be formed in the near future and will be owned by a
private syndicate;

(cid:129) other iron and steel undertakings in which the State has a shareholding such as Gescon 90, Icrot and
Sidermontaggi are closing down and being sold to ILVA laminati piani S.p.A. As a result, that
company will acquire their workforce and capital;