WRITTEN QUESTION E-0410/01 by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Ban on certification markings from private service undertakings.
Date: 2001-02-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community certification, EC conformity marking, labelling, private sector

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/7

(2001/C 364 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0345/01

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 February 2001)

Subject: Interference by food distribution companies in political processes

The extraordinary interference by the Swiss food chain Migros in the social developments taking place in
the fruit and vegetable-producing region of Almeria, Spain, has provoked a strong negative reaction on the
part of local businesses, which have received letters from the well-known Swiss firm threatening to break
off business relations unless conditions for immigrants are improved.

Such an unexpected response from a commercial firm to a debate which has already been resolved in the
farming region of Almeria, after a number of incidents linked to the assimilation of a particular group of
immigrants, risks setting a highly dangerous precedent for interference by commercial companies in
certain social and political conflicts which may arise in any of the Community(cid:146)s farming regions.

Does the Commission believe that it should take up a position with a view to preventing interference such
as that seen in the case of Migros, which has been acting under the influence of the European Civic Forum,
an organisation which seeks to favour the farming interests of the countries of eastern Europe?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 2001)

It is clearly not for the Commission to interfere in the commercial decisions of private firms.

Such firms are of course free to apply social, environmental or other (cid:145)ethical(cid:146) considerations to their
Indeed, best business practice in this domain is
commercial decisions,
explicitly encouraged by the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises, which were reviewed last year,
and endorsed by all OECD Members at Ministerial level. The Commission fully supports the promotion of
these Guidelines as a means of promoting corporate citizenship.

including purchasing policy.

The Honourable Member will also recall that the institutions are committed to ensuring the fair treatment
(cid:129) economically, socially and culturally (cid:129) of all third country nationals who reside legally on the territory
of Member States, as stated in the Conclusions of the Tampere European Council (October 1999).

(2001/C 364 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0410/01

by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: Ban on certification markings from private service undertakings

The so-called (cid:145)Blue Guide(cid:146) states, in explanation of the ban on third-party certification markings, that
voluntary markings must not as a general rule relate to aspects that already fall within the scope of the CE
marking.

Is the Commission aware that the effect of this blanket ban on third-party markings in areas to which the
CE marking applies is to turn the relationship between rules and exceptions established in the texts of
directives as regards authorisations and prohibitions into its opposite, and to jeopardise the survival of
European third-party certification agencies?

How can the Commission justify using a non-legally binding document (Blue Guide), on which the
European Parliament has had no say, to intervene against existing market structures with such far-reaching
consequences?

C 364 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The CE marking is a mandatory conformity marking which must be affixed on products covered by New
Approach and Global Approach Directives before they are placed on the market and/or put into service.
The CE marking signifies that products conforms with the provisions of all
relevant Directives.
Furthermore the CE marking is the only marking which can be affixed on a product in order to signify
compliance with all relevant Community Directives.

The affixing of additional marks is allowed to the extent that such marks do not create confusion referring
to the meaning or the form of the CE marking, and that they do not reduce the legibility and visibility of
the CE marking.

This is explained in more depth in the (cid:145)Guide to the implementation of directives based on the New
Approach and Global Approach(cid:146) (1). In this Guide, in section 7.4 (cid:145)CE marking and other marks(cid:146) it is stated
that (cid:145)In view of the objectives of technical harmonisation, markings and marks additional to the CE
marking need to fulfil a different function from that of the CE marking. Thus they should provide an
added value in signifying conformity with objectives that are different from those to which the CE marking
relates(cid:146).

The guide was prepared by the services of
understanding and the (cid:145)new approach directives(cid:146).

the Commission in order

to increase,

facilitate the

The Guide has in addition not introduced a blanket ban on third-party markings. Concerning the status of
the Guide, it cannot replace a legal text or change what the legislator has decided, but it can draw out the
meaning, significance and practical consequences of the directives to which it refers.

(1) Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, reference C-22-99-014-EN-C.

(2001/C 364 E/010)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0448/01

by Manuel PØrez `lvarez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: Traffic accidents involving children

What measures, both indicative and binding, does the Commission intend to take in response to the
alarming report by the United Nations Children(cid:146)s Fund that 8 000 children in the industrialised world are
killed and many more injured in traffic accidents every year?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2001)

Each year around 1 000 children under the age of ten are killed in road accidents. Whether they are
passengers in vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists, children can never be blamed for road accidents. They are
thus a group requiring special protection.

term,

the Institutions are examining two measures designed to give children greater
In the short
protection. These are a proposal to make it compulsory to use child restraints in vehicles (1) and work to
provide greater protection for vulnerable road users in the event of collision with a car (2).

The Commission is also envisaging new measures in the Road Safety Action Programme for 2002 to 2010
it will be sending to the Council and Parliament this year.