WRITTEN QUESTION P-2831/01 by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Racist statements by the Italian Government.
Date: 2001-10-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Council, Italy, Muslim, government, nationalism, racism, xenophobia

18.4.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/203

If so, what action will it take?

Would the right approach not be for the Commission to draw up its own specific implementation
provisions for the directive which could then be taken over by the Member States?

(1) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 2001)

The Commission has been working steadily to complete the technical requirements of Council Directive
70/220/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
measures to be taken against air pollution by gases from positive-ignition engines of motor vehicles (1), as
specifically amended by Directive 98/69/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998. All
Member States have transposed Directive 98/69/EC.

In particular, the Commission services have been working to resolve the issues associated with in-use
compliance checking of vehicles. However, finding a common position between Member States on the
definition of what are termed an ‘outlier vehicle’ (see section 3.1. of Appendix 4 to Annex I of Directive
98/69/EC) has been difficult. This is why this particular aspect of Directive 98/69/EC has not yet been
implemented through an amending directive.

Earlier this year, the Commission presented a package of proposed amendments to Directive 70/220/EEC
to the Committee for Adaptation to Technical Progress (CATP). Amongst other things, this package
completed Appendices 3 and 4 of Annex I to that Directive, concerning in-use compliance checking.
However, since there was no possibilty to complete an agreement on the definition of ‘outlier vehicle’, a
decision on the proposal has been delayed. The Commission now hopes to resolve this issue in the next
meeting of the CATP which is scheduled to be held in the third week of December 2001.

Regarding in-use compliance checking, one can reasonably understand that little, if any, in-use compliance
checking has so far been carried out in Member States. This check applies to vehicles that entered into
service after 1 January 2000 and authorities will wait to target vehicle types for which there are sufficient
examples on the road that have accumulated quite some distance (up to 80,000 kilometer (km)).

The discussions between the European Type-Approval Authorities (TAAM) in Oslo on 7 June 2001 did
discuss the technical content of Directive 98/69/EC, but it was in relation to an interpretation offered by
the KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt) as to how in-use compliance checking should be carried out on the basis
of the content of Directive 98/69/EC. Authorities are also discussing the procedures for rationalising in-use
compliance checking to avoid duplicate testing of the same vehicle type being carried out in several
Member States. The Member States have the responsibility to apply the Directives accurately and
harmoniously. The meetings of the European Type-Approval Authorities remains a good forum to resolve
problems relating to the common application of the Directives.

(1) OJ L 76, 6.4.1970.

(2002/C 93 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2831/01

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council

Subject: Racist statements by the Italian Government

(8 October 2001)

According to various diplomatic sources and numerous reports in leading European newspapers, at the
European Council meeting, Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, stated among other things that the
United States symbolised Western civilisation in contrast to the Islamic way of life; that our civilisation was
superior to others, some of which were still in the middle ages and pointing out, finally, the need to

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18.4.2002

defend our civilisation and its advantages. These statements were followed by equally serious declarations
by Roberto Castelli, the Italian Justice Minister, with a racist tone inconsistent with today’s European spirit
(diplomatic sources quoted in the French daily ‘Le Monde’) at the recent meeting of the JHA Council,
raising questions as to the nature of the Italian Government.

How is it that not one of the other 14 Heads of States present felt the need to condemn or distance
themselves from Mr Berlusconi’s statements?

In the light of these positions adopted by the Italian Government, does the European Council not feel that
it should place Italy under observation pursuant to Article 7 of the EU Treaty?

Reply

(10 December 2001)

It is not for the Council to comment on the statements made by Mr Berlusconi.

The Council recalls that the European Council, at its extraordinary meeting in Brussels on 21 September
2001, issued an appeal to the international community to pursue, in all multilateral fora, dialogue and
negotiation with a view to building, in Europe and elsewhere, a world of peace, the rule of law and
tolerance. The European Council also emphasised the need to combat any nationalist, racist and
xenophobic drift, and to reject any equation of terrorism with the Arab and Muslim world.

(2002/C 93 E/242)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2861/01

by Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Measures aimed at tackling the crisis in tourism following the terrorist attacks in the United States

A worldwide crisis is affecting international and European tourism following the terrorist attacks on New
York and Washington, not least because ordinary travellers understandably feel insecure.

This reluctance to travel
is seriously jeopardising firms in the European tourist industry (losses are
estimated at Lit 25 billion per day in Italy, for example), which are only to a small extent absorbed by the
inadequate social provisions and flexible arrangements in the sector (particularly in the hotel sector).

Requests for urgent measures are being submitted by operators in the sector. These would include tax
concessions for employees and firms,
temporarily extending to travel agencies and tour operators
instruments for compensation in the form of social and transport arrangements and the introduction and/
or extension of organisational flexibility in the use of staff.

In view of Article 211 et seq. of the Treaty establishing the European Communities, can the Commission
say what short- and medium-term intervention provisions and plans it intends to adopt to promote the
revival of European tourism and to tackle the critical phase affecting the sector?

(2002/C 93 E/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3025/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Support for tourism and the Philoxenia programme

(23 October 2001)

The terrorist attack of 11 September has caused a sharp decline in tourism. The number of travellers
cancelling their journeys as shipping companies cancel cruises and airlines withdraw flights from their
schedules is increasing at an exponential rate.