WRITTEN QUESTION P-0378/01 by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Driving licence categories and trailers.
Date: 2001-02-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European driving licence, commercial vehicle, road safety, technical rule, traffic regulations

C 318 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

The access capacities to the GEANT backbone, from the individual countries (1), are 10 megabit per
2.
second (Mbps) from Restena/Luxembourg, 34 Mbps from Carnet/Croatia, Heanet/Ireland, IUCC/Israel and
RCCN/Portugal, 45 Mbps from Aconet/Austria, ARNES/Slovenia and Belnet/Belgium, 68 Mbps from
Cesnet/Czech Republic, 155 Mbps from SWITCH/Switzerland (2), GARR/Italy, GRNET/Greece (3), Hun-
garnet/Hungary, JANET/United Kingdom, PSNC/Poland, Rediris/Spain and Renater/France, 310 Mbps from
DFN/Germany and Nordunet (4) and 622 Mbps from Surfnet/Netherlands (5).

It is expected that in November 2001, 2,5 gigabit per second (Gbps) connectivity will be installed

3.
between 11 Points of Presence (PoP) of GEANT (one PoP per country).

The project Quantum has been regularly reviewed according to the procedures defined for the Fifth

4.
framework programme (FP5) projects. The outcome of the reviews has been positive.

At the end of the project, the access capacities to the trans-european network (TEN-155 backbone, from
the individual countries were, 10Mbps from Heanet/Ireland and Restena/Luxembourg, 34Mbps from
Carnet/Croatia,
IUCC/Israel and RCCN/Portugal, 45 Mbps from Aconet/Austria, ARNES/Slovenia and
Belnet/Belgium and Cesnet/Czech Republic, 124 Mbps from Rediris/Spain, 155 Mbps from SWITCH/
Switzerland, GARR/Italy, GRNET/Greece, Hungarnet/Hungary, JANET/United Kingdom, Nordunet, PSNC/
Poland and Renater/France, 310Mbps from DFN/Germany and 622 Mbps from Surfnet/Netherlands.

The TEN-155 backbone was constituted by 27 connections interlinking the Points of Presence in the
different countries. Thirteen of these connections were operating at 155Mbps and three of them at
622Mbps.

The use of Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology has been of significant help in implementing
quality services (e.g., support of guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS), virtual private networks (VPNs) and
effective resource management). However, ATM will in practice not be available in networks operating at
Gbit/s speeds. GEANT should be amongst the first national or international networks to make use of
technology supporting VPNs at the IP level as soon as it becomes available.

Including connectivity to CERN.
Including connectivity to Cyprus (4 Mbps).

(1) Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovak Republic are not connected yet to the GEANT Network.
(2)
(3)
(4) Nordunet is a regional network integrating Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden.
(5) Surfnet is not part of the GN1 Consortium but the networks are connected.

(2001/C 318 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0378/01

by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 February 2001)

Subject: Driving licence categories and trailers

Council Directive 91/439/EEC (1) on driving licences ((cid:145)the second driving licence directive(cid:146)) harmonised
driving licence categories and subcategories.

Article 3(1) of the Directive entitles holders of driving licences for category B to drive combinations of
a tractor vehicle in category B and a trailer where the maximum authorised mass of the combination does
not exceed 3,500 kg and the maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of
the tractor vehicle. For all other combinations of vehicles consisting of a tractor vehicle in category B and
a trailer with a maximum mass exceeding 750 kg a driving licence for categories B+E is required.

Is the Commission aware that many users under the existing rules are towing trailers exceeding 750 kg in
mass (e.g. caravans, boat trailers and horseboxes) under the 3,5 ton rule with the present category B
driving licence?

What considerations are leading the Commission to abolish this rule in the review of the second driving
licence directive, and in general to require a category E driving licence for trailers exceeding 750 kg?

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/41

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2001)

The Commission has made provision in its work programme for 2001 for amending Council Directive 91/
439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences.

Apart from an alignment with the other licence categories, it is obvious that the weights and dimensions
of certain coupled vehicle combinations currently falling within category B require greater technical skills.
It is therefore logical to examine whether driving such vehicle combinations require a B+E driving licence
to be held.

However, the Commission does not at this stage wish to prejudge any future decision that it might take in
this connection. Very clearly this proposed amendment will be laid before the Council and Parliament in
good time in accordance with the procedures in force.

(2001/C 318 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0390/01

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: List of members of committees concerned with preventing tobacco-related health damage

For years, the tobacco giant, Philip Morris, has been infiltrating WHO, EU and various European countries(cid:146)
advisory committees concerned with preventing damage to health caused by tobacco smoking, including
passive smoking. I have received documents in the form of notes and reports from Philip Morris which
were used as the basis for a report in one of Denmark(cid:146)s leading dailies, Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten.

In order to clarify the situation, will the Commission provide:

(cid:129) an overview of advisory committees active in this area over the past 15 years,

(cid:129) a list of members of those committees covering the same period,

(cid:129) an account of the measures taken to ensure that such committees cannot now be infiltrated.

The documents in question are particularly alarming as far as the prevention of
cardiovascular diseases is concerned.

lung cancer and

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 2001)

The Commission has been advised on cancer issues since 1986 by the High Level Cancer Experts
Committee which was succeeded in 1996 by the Advisory Committee on Cancer Prevention, a committee
of a consultative nature established by the Commission. This Committee has a longstanding record in
advising the Commission on tobacco issues and other cancer related matters. The original list of members
was published (1).

The (cid:145)Europe against Cancer(cid:146) programme is accompanied by a Committee composed of representatives of
the Member States. Following the Committee(cid:146)s rules of procedures, any of its Members or Experts, if not
a government official, must declare his independence or absence of conflict of interest at the opening of
every meeting.

The Commission adopted a Communication on smoking prevention (2) which reflected the recom-
mendations on tobacco control adopted by the above-mentioned Committee. This was followed by
a proposal for a directive on tobacco products, which is currently the subject of a text agreed by the
Conciliation Committee on 27 February 2001. This text takes a high level of public health protection as
it(cid:146)s basis.