WRITTEN QUESTION E-1674/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. ILO conference - June 2001.
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: India, Nepal, Pakistan, child labour, international labour law, slavery, the EU's international role

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?