WRITTEN QUESTION E-3212/01 by John Bowis (PPE-DE), Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE),Martin Callanan (PPE-DE), Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE),Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE), Roger Helmer (PPE-DE),Astrid Lulling (PPE-DE), Neil Parish (PPE-DE), Charles Tannock (PPE-DE)and Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Business Impact Assessment for the Physical Agents (Vibrations) Directive.
Date: 2001-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, impact study, occupational health, occupational safety, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 147 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

Given the above, would the Commission state whether:

1.

2.

in view of the site’s historical, political and social importance, it intends to acquire it for the European
Union?

if it does so, it intends to develop the site both as a monument to the history of the European Union
and as a venue for cultural and/or social and/or political activities?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2002)

The Commission is aware of the historic importance of the island of Santo Stefano, a former prison where
including Altiero Spinelli and other pioneers of European
several anti-fascist activists were detained,
integration.
island of Santo Stefano, that the
Ventotene Manifesto was drafted in 1943. This was one of the formative elements in the development of a
European consciousness after the Second World War.

It was on the island of Ventotene, close to the small

Any decision to convert the former prison into a cultural centre with a European orientation would be
extremely welcome and highly symbolic,
the work of Altiero Spinelli as European
in view of
Commissioner and Member of the European Parliament, where he played an active role in framing the
draft Treaty on European Union adopted by the European Parliament on 14 February 1984. However, the
Commission has neither the powers nor the funds needed to take such an initiative.
If the Italian
authorities decide to undertake such a project the Commission will consider with great interest the
possibility of taking an active part.

(2002/C 147 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3212/01

by John Bowis (PPE-DE), Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE),
Martin Callanan (PPE-DE), Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE),
Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE), Roger Helmer (PPE-DE),
Astrid Lulling (PPE-DE), Neil Parish (PPE-DE), Charles Tannock (PPE-DE)
and Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 November 2001)

Subject: Business Impact Assessment for the Physical Agents (Vibrations) Directive

Has the Commission carried-out a Business Impact Assessment for the Physical Agents (Vibrations)
Directive, and, if so, what are the expected annual costs to business following its implementation in each
of the Member States?

In order to ensure that the European Parliament is aware of the costs to business of the directives which it
votes for, and in order to reduce costs, will the Commission undertake to deposit in the Library of the
Parliament its Business Impact Assessments for each piece of legislation which imposes costs on business
so that any Member of the Parliament may make use of the information as the Commission’s directives are
being considered either in committee or before the vote in plenary?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 2001)

When submitting its Proposal for a Council Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements
regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (1), the Commission drew up an
impact assessment, based on a specific impact study for each physical agent included in the Proposal, on
the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, and this included the estimated costs which would
arise from implementing the Directive. These costs are likely to be reduced in accordance with the limit
values to be adopted.

20.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 147 E/133

The provision of this information is part of a long-standing practice within the Commission. Indeed, since
1986, the Commission has undertaken to provide a Business Impact Assessment on proposals with a
significant impact on business. The business impact assessments are carried out on a decentralised basis by
the service responsible, and are included in the official COM document in order to provide information to
the final decision-makers, and the interested public, on the estimated business impact of the proposal.

(1) OJ C 77, 18.3.1993.

(2002/C 147 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3213/01

by Philip Bradbourn (PPE-DE), Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE),
Martin Callanan (PPE-DE), Jacqueline Foster (PPE-DE), Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE),
Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE), Roger Helmer (PPE-DE),
Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE), Timothy Kirkhope (PPE-DE),
Neil Parish (PPE-DE), Charles Tannock (PPE-DE)
and Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 November 2001)

Subject: The implication for money-laundering of the new EUR 500 note

Bearing in mind that only two EU Member states (Germany and Holland) use banknotes of comparable
value to the EUR 500 note that will enter circulation in January 2002 and that the Deutschmark has for
some years been the banknote of choice for criminals across large parts of Europe, can the Commission
say why it believes there is any need for a note C already dubbed the ‘gangster’s note’ C of such a high
denomination, whether police forces were consulted before the decision was made to issue it and whether
the Commission would be prepared to recommend the note be withdrawn if, following its introduction,
Europol or Interpol were to conclude that it significantly assisted organised criminals in carrying-out their
activities, including the purchase of large quantities of drugs or nuclear material?

Can the Commission indicate whether it would have been possible to generate sufficient liquidity within
the Eurozone by January, 2002 had the decision been taken to make the EUR 200 note the largest
banknote to be issued?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2002)

Some participating Member States C Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Austria
C currently have high-value banknotes in a range of € 200 to € 600. A banknote of DM 1 000 is, for
instance, in circulation in Germany. Hence, at least part of the European population is accustomed to
using high-value banknotes for transactions and as a store of value. In this respect, high denominations of
euro banknotes are replacing some high denominations of national banknotes.

It is of course difficult to assess to what extent the euro will be used in unlawful transactions. And even
more difficult to predict whether the € 200 and € 500 banknotes will have an influence on such use.

The Commission will, within the limits of
disproportionate use of euro banknotes in unlawful transactions after 2001.

its competence, endeavour to detect any evidence of

The Commission is not aware of any studies on how the denominations of banknotes would effect the
liquidity within the euro zone.