WRITTEN QUESTION P-2522/01 by Barbara Weiler (PSE) to the Commission. Technical standards.
Date: 2001-09-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cenelec, ETSI, European Commission, European Committee for Standardisation, standardisation, supervisory power, transparency in decision-making

C 40 E/246

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

(2002/C 40 E/269)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2506/01

by Francesco Speroni (TDI) to the Commission

(7 September 2001)

Subject: Identity papers

According to the Schengen Agreement, it is possible to cross the borders between Member States even
without a valid passport or equivalent document. However, a person travelling in one of these countries
can sometimes be asked to show their identity papers. There is no uniform legislation about such
documents, which means that those which are valid in some countries (such as driving licences, gun
licences or membership cards for professional organisations) are not recognised as valid in other countries.
This situation sometimes leads to mistakes, misunderstandings or even sanctions.

In some cases it is difficult or even impossible to obtain a document generally recognised as valid, such as
an identity card. The Belgian authorities, for example, do not issue foreign residents with identity cards
even if they are citizens of the Union.

Can the Commission supply a list of the documents considered as valid identity papers in the various
Member States and does it perhaps consider it appropriate to promote uniform legislation on the subject?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2001)

The abolition of border controls on individuals does not release them from the obligation to hold, carry
and present the documents required by the national laws of each Member State.

Citizens of the European Union are required by Community law to be in possession of a valid identity card
or passport (1).

(1) Council Directive 68/360/EEC of 15 October 1968 on the abolition of restrictions on movement and residence

within the Community for workers of Member States and their families (OJ L 257, 19.10.1968).

(2002/C 40 E/270)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2522/01

by Barbara Weiler (PSE) to the Commission

(11 September 2001)

Subject: Technical standards

Under the New Approach, the Commission mandates CEN, Cenelec and ETSI to draw up standards and
specifications in connection with EU directives.

How does the Commission ensure that the standardisation process is democratic and transparent?

Does it have any means of monitoring the situation and, if so, what use does it make of them?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2001)

Standardisation can be defined as a voluntary, consensus- based process of setting technical specifications
through open and transparent procedures within independent and recognised standard bodies.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/247

In European legislation, standardisation plays an important role in the so- called (cid:145)New Approach(cid:146)
legislation which was designed to establish the Internal Market for the free movement of goods within the
Community. In these cases, the European legislator, both the Parliament and the Council, has decided to
legislate on essential requirements a product must meet. On the basis of the legislation, the technical
specification of these requirements is left to the most concerned actors,
i.e. European standardisation
bodies. The legislative technique of the New Approach is also quoted in the recent Commission White
Paper on European Governance (1).

Harmonised standards must, of course, be in conformity with the legal requirements of the different
Directives adopted by the Parliament and by the Council.

For standardisation in the framework of the (cid:145)New Approach(cid:146), Directive 98/34/EC of the Parliament and of
the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of
technical standards and regulations and of rules on information services recognises three European
standards bodies (CEN, Cenelec and ETSI), covering three different areas of industry.

The standardisation system must be truly open and transparent, the standard supported by all major
interested parties, and applied in a uniform way throughout the Community. These requirements are
referred to as the accountability of European standardisation. Principles of accountability have been laid
down in the (cid:145)General Guidelines for Co- operation between CEN, Cenelec and the Commission(cid:146), adopted in
1984. (CEN and Cenelec are European standards bodies.)These guidelines are currently under revision.

Compliance with the conditions for accountability is linked to the recognition of bodies as European
standard bodies under Directive 98/34/EC. Conversely, non- compliance may lead to the withdrawal of
recognition. Accordingly, following Articles 2(5) and 6(4a) of Directive 98/34/EC, the Commission is
entitled to propose to the Council to deprive a standard body from its status.

Moreover,
in order to ensure the broadest possible participation of stakeholders within the standard
developing process, the Commission provides financial support to non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
representing stakeholders such as consumers and environment to enable them to participate as associate
members of the standards bodies in the standard developing process.

Finally, in the framework of the New Approach, the Commission and the European standards bodies have
jointly appointed consultants, who assess, within the framework of the internal procedures of the standard
bodies, the formal and substantial adequacy of a standard with regard to the legal requirements.

(1) COM(2001) 428 final.

(2002/C 40 E/271)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2732/01

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(5 October 2001)

Subject: The SS 131 road linking Torres, Sassari and Cagliari

The SS 131 between Porto Torres, Sassari and Cagliari, the main road link between the north and south of
Sardinia, has for many years been inadequate and unsuitable to meet the present needs and is very
dangerous because the lanes are narrow and there is a great deal of heavy goods traffic.

The modernisation work being carried out on this road (1) is, however, highly controversial. The projects
entails the pointless total destruction of
the existing carriageway (about 17 m wide) and its total
reconstruction at a higher level, with new gradients, less steep slopes and a carriageway more than 34 m
wide (4 lanes 3,5 m wide, two hard shoulders 3 m wide, a central reservation 2 m wide, two service roads
for local use, each with two lanes in both directions, accounting for another 12 m). Furthermore, although