WRITTEN QUESTION E-2215/01 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Standardisation of emergency lights.
Date: 2001-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, harmonisation of standards, signalling device, transport of patients, vehicle parts

C 40 E/220

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

According to official details given by the Italian State Prosecutor(cid:146)s Office on 20 March 2001 the
adulterated butter was produced using substantial quantities of fats produced by rendering plant from
cattle brains, bones and intestines, i.e. specified risk material for the transmission of BSE.

Can the Commission explain why, in its annual Report for 2000 on the fight against fraud, published
1.
on 23 May 2001, it nevertheless claimed that experts had so far not established any direct hazard to
consumers(cid:146) health?

2. Why, in its answer of 6 June 2001 to my Written Question P-1506/01 (1) did it give the impression
of being unaware of the Italian State Prosecutor(cid:146)s Office(cid:146)s press statement of 20 March 2001?

3.
Does the Commission still maintain its view that it acted correctly when, in summer 2000, it did not
make public the first indications of a possible health hazard, and concealed the names of the companies
which had processed the adulterated butter?

(1) OJ C 318 E, 13.11.2001, p. 244.

Answer by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2001)

1.
The Commission is closely monitoring developments in this matter, especially as regards public
health protection. It is continuing to press the national authorities to inform it of the results of analyses of
the adulterated butter. Although the Naples State Prosecutor(cid:146)s Office did point to the health risk at the
time, no firm evidence was produced. The Commission had no information in the summer of 2000 (cid:129) and
has not received any to this day (cid:129) that might enable it to assess the potential risk to public health. So far
only the Belgian authorities have confirmed that no traces of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), organic
chlorine compounds or heavy metals have been found in the samples. Given the information available
when it published its annual report for 2000 on protection of the financial interests of the European
Communities and the fight against fraud, it therefore ruled out a direct health threat to consumers.

As far as the admixture of risk material for the transmission of BSE is concerned, the Commission
acknowledges that this can only be ruled out from 1 October 2000, as that is the date after which all risk
material (skulls including brain and eyes, tonsils, spinal chord, spleen and ileum) have to be destroyed
throughout the Community. The Commission would point out that it proposed this measure as early as
1997 but that the Council refused to adopt it until June 2000.

The date of the second press release from the Naples State Prosecutor(cid:146)s Office, to which the
2.
Commission referred in its answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s written question P-1506/01, is indeed
20 March 2001 (not December 2000).

The Commission maintains the view it set out in its answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s written

3.
question E-3241/00 on the non-disclosure of the names of the firms.

(2002/C 40 E/238)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2215/01

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2001)

Subject: Standardisation of emergency lights

Previous references: E-3022/00 (1) and E-4033/00 (2).

Since September 2000 the author of this question has been pointing out to the Commission and the
Council that in Spain the colour of emergency lights on vehicles is not currently in line with the rest of the

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Member States, where such lights are blue. This means that emergency lights displayed by priority and
emergency services, such as the fire brigade and ambulances, are of the same amber colour as the lights
used by other services, such as refuse-collection and slow-moving vehicles, with blue lights being reserved
for police vehicles only. As well as being a source of confusion, this situation causes traffic problems for
emergency vehicles and also puts people at risk.

Regulation No 65 of the UN Economic Commission for Europe regulates the standardisation of emergency
lights, but it does not specify what colour is to be assigned to each type of vehicle. In any case, the
Community has not ratified this Regulation because the Member States wish to retain the right to regulate
the use and technical specifications of such equipment.

In its answer to a Written Question (E-3022/00) the Commission said (cid:145)should there be any change in this
desire, however, the Community could well plan to ((cid:133)) harmonise the equipment of emergency vehicles
in order to distinguish them from slow-moving vehicles(cid:146).

More recently the Council replied to another written question by the same author (E-4033/00) saying that
if the Commission submitted a proposal
in this sphere the Council would undertake to examine the
proposed provisions.

In view of this answer from the Council and the criteria of public safety mentioned in the first paragraph
above, does
to introduce
standardisation in the use of emergency lights, as expressed by the relevant professions in both Spain
and the rest of Europe?

the Commission not consider

there is already sufficient

(cid:145)desire(cid:146)

that

Can the Commission say why it is so reluctant to standardise emergency lights, when this is precisely an
issue which requires an urgent solution owing to the risk of accidents it entails for the general public in
Europe?

(1) OJ C 113 E, 18.4.2001, p. 230.
(2) OJ C 235 E, 21.8.2001, p. 51.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 2001)

The Commission is concerned to improve road safety throughout the Community and to remove barriers
to trade. In the field of automotive construction both these objectives are pursued.

The construction of emergency vehicles, and in particular the colour of the emergency lights used by them
is not an area that is currently regulated by the European legislation. These vehicles are constructed or
modified in accordance with the requirements of the purchasing authority taking account of their specific
operational requirements. Their differences could not be considered as barriers to trade.

The Commission acknowledges that in other Member States than Spain the use of blue emergency lights is
not restricted to the police. Without firm evidence that the use of amber lights by ambulances and fire
engines in Spain represents a significant risk, there is no justification for bringing forward proposals to
require all emergency vehicles to be fitted with blue emergency lights. However, the Commission will
investigate this issue further in contact with relevant Spanish authorities.

(2002/C 40 E/239)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2217/01

by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) and Paolo Costa (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Protection of coastal areas

(24 July 2001)

(cid:129) With reference to Written Question E-0956/01 (1) by Mrs Sbarbati, the answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m

on behalf of the Commission on 14 June 2001,