WRITTEN QUESTION E-1696/01 by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Possible South Pacific Whale Sanctuary.
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Pacific Ocean, international organisation, protection of animals, whale

C 40 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

(2002/C 40 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1696/01

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Possible South Pacific Whale Sanctuary

(14 June 2001)

Can the Commission state whether it will be supporting the creation of a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary at
the meeting of the International Whaling Commission this July, and does the Commission have any
evidence that one reason for the defeat of the proposal at the meeting of the IWC in 2000 was the
promise of aid by Japan to the representatives of eastern Caribbean States, who voted, with Japan, against
the creation of the sanctuary?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2001)

the only competent organisation regarding the
is
The International Whaling Commission (IWC)
conservation and management of whale stocks. It has 41 members, among which there are eleven
Community countries (all excepting Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg and Portugal).

The Community itself is not a member to the IWC. For this reason, the Commission has so far refrained
from interfering in the work of this organization.

The Commission is not in a position to judge the reasons leading sovereign states to adopt or reject
proposals in international fora in which the Community does not participate.

(2002/C 40 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1697/01

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Promotion of hydrogen-driven cars

Hydrogen has been used for generations as a raw material for industry and an energy source. In the
automobile industry hydrogen-driven engines have been tested since the nineteen seventies and have
proven to be a real alternative to the usual petrol-driven combustion engines. Greater use of this
technology could substantially reduce the greenhouse effect, 10 % of which is caused by road traffic
worldwide.

Can the Commission say how it
programmes?

is promoting this development via research activities or other

Can the Commission also say whether it is working on the legal, economic and organisational framework
conditions to ensure that hydrogen can be supplied as fuel at competitive prices and in sufficient quantities
in areas where traffic is a particular problem?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The Commission has been aware for many years of the possibility and potential of a change from fossil
fuels to hydrogen. Transport especially is almost entirely dependent on petroleum (more than 98 %), and
this is why the Green Paper on the security of energy supply (1) triggered the debate on the choice of
alternative fuels for transport. In addition, the Commission is currently preparing a communication on
alternative fuels and vehicles. At present it seems very unlikely that hydrogen will have much to contribute
before 2010, but it will have to play a major role if the ambitious goals for 2020 are going to be attained.

Hydrogen could provide an answer to the problems of air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, security of
energy supply and dependence on petroleum products all at the same time.