WRITTEN QUESTION E-3999/00 by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission. Heritage and museum railways.
Date: 2000-12-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, cultural heritage, heritage protection, rail transport

C 187 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

the protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside (1) was approved in July 1995
for 6 000 hectares (ha). An amended version of the programme, submitted in 1998 and approved
in January 1999, increased that area by 14 000 ha. Of the 20 000 ha covered by the programme overall,
farmers entered into agri-environmental commitments in respect of organic farming on 9 332 ha up to the
end of 1999.

Of the € 13,7 million total budget for the initial and amended versions of the organic farming programme
during the period 1995-1999, approximately € 7,4 million was paid to recipients by 31 December 1999.
It should be added that the Community appropriations for the programme did not form part of the second
Community support framework, since common agricultural policy (CAP) accompanying measures (cid:129)
including agri-environment measures (cid:129) are part-financed by the Guarantee Section of the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).

In view of the above, the Commission does not consider the delays to the Greek organic farming
programme under Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 to be significant (cid:129) particularly since the amended
version of the programme was not approved until January 1999 and was therefore in effect operative (as
regards entering into agri-environmental commitments) for only one farm year. The three-year programme
to which the Honourable Member refers was, in practice, barely a one-year programme. It should also be
pointed out that the programme is not primarily intended to supply the market with organic products
(which is in fact the certification bodies(cid:146) main concern) but rather to provide an environmental service to
society, the latter being the objective of Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92. The combination of these two
objectives therefore makes the selection of recipients more demanding and rigorous.

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.

(2001/C 187 E/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3999/00

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission

(21 December 2000)

Subject: Heritage and museum railways

Would the Commission agree that throughout the European Union heritage and museum railways play an
important part in preserving our industrial heritage and in providing a service to tourists, young and old.
With this in mind, would the Commission consider giving a blanket derogation to these railways from any
future EU transport regulations or directives, in order that they may authentically preserve Europe(cid:146)s railway
heritage?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(8 February 2001)

Heritage and museum railways are part of the European industrial and cultural heritage. The Commission
shares the view that this heritage should be preserved and made accessible to the public.

The European legislation, in particular the recent proposals for directives on rail transport (mentioned
below), does not prevent the preservation of historic railways.

The proposal for a Directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the trans-
European conventional rail system (1) only covers new equipment or the upgrading of existing equipment.

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/105

Moreover, the so-called Infrastructure Package clearly mentions certain derogations which could cover the
case of heritage and museum railways: Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development
of the Community(cid:146)s railways (2) as amended (3) states that (cid:145)Member States may exclude from the scope of
this Directive railway undertakings whose activity is limited to the provision of solely urban, suburban or
regional services(cid:146). The proposal for a Council Directive (3) replacing Council Directive 95/19/EC of 19 June
1995 on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the charging of infrastructure fees (4) states
that Member States may exclude from its scope the local and stand-alone networks used for passenger
transport. Council Directive 95/18/EC of 19 June 1995 on the licensing of railway undertakings (4) as
amended (3) states as well that Member States may exclude from its scope railway undertakings which only
operate rail passenger services on local and stand-alone railway infrastructure.

Consequently the existence of heritage and museum railways, running most of the time on local and stand-
alone infratructures, is not endangered by any Community legislation.

The Commission will also continue to bear in mind the existence of heritage and museum railways when
drafting future legislation.

(1) OJ C 89 E, 28.3.2000.
(2) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.
(3) OJ C 321, 20.10.1998.
(4) OJ L 143, 27.6.1995.

(2001/C 187 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4000/00

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(21 December 2000)

Subject: Clothes labelling

Could the Commission provide details of the labelling requirements which apply to clothes imported into
Japan and the USA?

Could the Commission explain why similar provisions do not exist in the EU?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 March 2001)

When clothes are exported to Japan or the United States, the following information has to be provided on
a permanently attached label: the percentage of the fibres used in the product; care instructions; the
country of origin; information on the manufacturer and/or importer.

At European level, the only legal
instrument relating to textile labelling is Directive 96/74/EC of the
Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1996 on textile names (1), as amended by Commission
Directive 97/37/EC of 19 June 1997 (2). Textile products may be marketed within the Community only if
their fibre composition is indicated in accordance with that Directive.

Apart from labelling on fibre composition, Member States are free to apply national provisions on the
protection of industrial and commercial property,
indications of provenance, marks of origin and the
prevention of unfair competition.