WRITTEN QUESTION P-3786/00 by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Adapting Directive 70/156/EEC on the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers to the requirements of technical progress.
Date: 2000-11-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, motor vehicle

C 151 E/206

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

(2001/C 151 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3741/00

by Gerard Collins (UEN) to the Commission

(28 November 2000)

Subject: UK road tax

As the Commission is aware the UK is proposing to introduce a road tax for (cid:145)foreign(cid:146) hauliers as part of a
package of measures aimed at cutting road costs for British hauliers and motorists. Has the Commission
concluded its examination of this proposed measure, does it agree that it would discriminate more
seriously against Irish road hauliers than their counterparts in other EU countries, on the basis that some
70 % of Irish hauliers use the UK road system either as a means of access to the continent or as a final
destination, and will it therefore rule against the introduction of this discriminatory road tax?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the reply it gave to Oral Question H-0873/00 by
Mr McCartin during question time at Parliament(cid:146)s December 2000 part-session (1).

(1) Debates of the European Parliament (December 2000).

(2001/C 151 E/242)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3786/00

by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Adapting Directive 70/156/EEC on the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers to the

requirements of technical progress

On 27 November 1997 the Council adopted Decision 97/836/EC (1) on accession by the European
Community to the Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, known as the
(cid:145)Revised 1958 Agreement(cid:146).

Given that one of the main reasons which prompted the European Community to accede to this
Agreement is to remove technical barriers to trade in motor vehicles and ensure a high level of road
safety and environmental protection, it is vital to make effective progress towards adapting Directive 70/
156/EEC (2) to the requirements of technical progress, if this fundamental objective is to be achieved.

However, although this directive needs to be adapted regularly, its most recent update (Directive 98/14/
EC (3) of 6 February 1998) incorporated in Annex IV, Part II, only 49 of the 78 regulations contained in
the (cid:145)Revised 1958 Agreement(cid:146) adopted by the European Community on 27 November 1997.

When will the Commission submit a fresh update of Council Directive 70/156/EEC?

Will it incorporate the remaining regulations from the Agreement included in Council Decision 97/836/EC
of 27 November 1997, as it is required to do?

What other regulations from the Agreement does the Commission plan to incorporate in the latest update
of this directive, bearing in mind the (cid:145)state of the art(cid:146)?

(1) OJ L 346, 17.12.1997, p. 78.
(2) OJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 91, 25.3.1998, p. 1.

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/207

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 2001)

Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, as amended by Directive 98/14/EC of
6 February 1998, includes, in its annex IV, part II, those United Nations (cid:129) Economic Commission for
Europe (UN-ECE) regulations adopted by the Community at the time of accession to the Revised 1958
Agreement which refer to the type-approval of motor vehicles, and for which a corresponding separate
directive exists. With regard to UN-ECE regulations adopted by the Community after its accession to the
Agreement, as well as regulations for which a corresponding Community directive has been adopted in the
meantime, the Commission will update annex IV, part II accordingly, in a proposal for the recasting of
Directive 70/156/EEC in 2001.

In addition, some of the regulations listed in annex II of Council Decision 97/836/EC (1) refer to the type-
approval of motorcycles and tractors, which do not fall under the scope of Directive 70/156/EEC.
Regulations relating to motorcycles are already listed in the relevant separate directives relating to the
type-approval of two and three wheeled vehicles. With regard to regulations concerning tractors, these will
be listed in a proposal for the recasting of Council Directive 74/150/EEC of 4 March 1974 on the
approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of wheeled agricultural or
forestry tractors (2), which is currently being drafted by the Commission.

Finally, since for 12 UN-ECE regulations listed in annex II of Decision 97/836/EC there is no correspond-
ing Community separate directive in place, they will not be included in any of the above mentioned
directives for the time being.

(1) Council Decision 97/836/EC of 27 November 1997 with a view to accession by the European Community to the
Agreement of the UN-ECE concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles,
equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal
recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions (Revised 1958 Agreement).

(2) OJ L 84, 28.3.1974.

(2001/C 151 E/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3818/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Export of live cattle to third countries

In an answer given on 19 May 2000 [E-1015/00 EN], the Commission stated that 323 000 live cattle were
exported from the Community to third countries in 1999. Furthermore, in an answer given on 25 October
1999 [1730/99 EN], the Commission stated that 266 256 live cattle were exported from the Community
to third countries in 1998.

How many of the live cattle exported from the Community to third countries in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999:

1. were for (a) slaughter, (b) further fattening and (c) breeding;

2. how many in each of these categories were exported from each Member State;

3. how many in each of these categories did each exporting Member State send to each individual third-

country destination?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 January 2001)

In view of the length of its answer, the Commission is sending it direct to the Honourable Member and to
Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.