WRITTEN QUESTION E-1669/01 by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission. Daytime running lights and twilight switches.
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: environmental impact, environmental protection, greenhouse gas, impact study, road safety, signalling device

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/175

have significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of their nature, size or location are made
subject to a requirement for development consent and an assessment with regard to their effects. Projects
covered by the Directive are identified in the annexes. The Commission has the task of ensuring the
correct application of Community law and, therefore, in this case, of assessing whether the Community
legislation on environmental
impact assessment (EIA) has been correctly applied in the Member State
concerned.

On the basis of the information given by the Honourable Member, the work to which the question makes
reference, could fall either into Annex I or into Annex II of the directive prior to or after the amendments.

Under Directive 85/337/EEC, prior to or after the amendments, projects of the classes listed in Annex I are
to be made subject to an assessment in accordance with Articles 5 to 10.

Under Directive 85/337/EEC prior to the amendments, projects falling into Annex II are to be made
subject to an EIA where Member States consider that their characteristics so require. However, Member
States are considered to be obliged to make a pre-assessment in order to establish whether Annex II
projects need to be made subject to an EIA procedure.

Under Directive 85/337/EEC, as modified, for Annex II projects, Member States are obliged to determine
through a case-by-case examination or thresholds or by the setting of criteria whether the project shall be
made subject to an assessment in accordance with Articles 5 to 10.

In order to identify the correct Community law to be applied, it is necessary to check when the request for
development consent was submitted to the competent authority: projects whose requests for development
consent were submitted to a competent authority before 14 March 1999 are governed by the provisions of
Directive 85/337/EEC (prior to its 1997 amendment).

Not being aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member, the Commission will take the
appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it and to ensure the observance of
Community law.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2001/C 364 E/193)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1669/01

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Daytime running lights and twilight switches

For some time now the Commission has been looking into the impact of daytime running lights and of the
introduction of twilight switches on fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions.

1.
Has this research produced any clear findings yet, and if so, what are the implications for the
possible introduction of compulsory daytime running lights or encouragement of the introduction of
twilight switches in the European Union?

2.

If no clear findings have been made yet, when are they to be expected?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2001)

The main point of daytime running lights is in the road safety benefits of their use and for this the
Commission has undertaken several studies and is aware of many others world-wide. The conclusion of
this work is that daytime running lights have a positive safety benefit. However, these studies have been
conducted mainly in northern climates and there is a certain reluctance to automatically extend their
findings to southern countries. At the moment, a study has just been concluded in the South of France and
interim reports on the results are encouraging. Should the final report not be conclusive as to their
generalisation, then the Commission will examine the introduction of twilight switches.

C 364 E/176

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

However, on the negative impact that the use of daytime running lights would have for fuel consumption
and hence the emissions of carbondioxide (CO2), there has not yet been any specific study done by the
Commission. The Commission is aware of earlier work that has been done on their fuel consumption
disbenefit by certain Member States and the overall conclusion is that daytime running lights would have
the effect of increasing fuel consumption by between 1 % and 1,5 %. However, in view of the fact that in
the meanwhile fuel consumption is affected more and more by other equipment in cars such as air-
conditioners, the Commission is at the moment subsidising a study that intends to clarify this issue. The
results should be available in mid-2002.

(2001/C 364 E/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1674/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: ILO conference (cid:129) June 2001

Will the Commission use the ILO conference in June 2001 to draw attention to the repeated failures of
governments such as India, Nepal and Pakistan to take adequate measures to eradicate the use of bonded
labour?

Will the Commission make efforts to focus the ILO(cid:146)s discussions on practical assistance to governments in
order to ensure that a comprehensive assessment of the problem of bonded labour is made, that laws
prohibiting the use of bonded labour are put into place and that monitoring systems are established to
evaluate the impact of assistance offered to combat bonded labour?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

The Commission has studied the Global Report prepared by the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
for discussion at the 2001 International Labour Conference with great care and believes the Report is
a groundbreaking step for the international community in identifying areas where forced labour persists
and in suggesting ways of tackling the problem.

With regard to India, Nepal and Pakistan, the Commission notes that the Report provides both indications
as to the efforts that have already been undertaken by the countries concerned to eradicate bonded labour,
and evidence of the extent to which different forms of bonded labour remain a widespread phenomenon.
The Commission is hopeful that the clear identification of the problems through the follow-up to the ILO
Declaration, coupled with ILO technical assistance, will contribute to eradicating the phenomenon.

(2001/C 364 E/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1677/01

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Redefinition of the NUTS

The Commission has submitted a proposal for the redefinition of the nomenclature of territorial units for
statistical purposes (NUTS) with a view to drawing up the map for the Structural Funds which will form
the basis for the decisions to be adopted for the forthcoming programming period.

The map drawn up on the basis of these (cid:145)units for statistical purposes(cid:146) must take account of both richer
and poorer regions within a single Member State.

To what extent and in what fashion is the Commission linking this redefinition to that applying to
cohesion policy?