WRITTEN QUESTION P-0521/02 by Pernille Frahm (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Brominated flame retardants.
Date: 2002-02-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: chemical product, consumer protection, dangerous substance, disease prevention, health risk

C 172 E/208

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

Can the Commission say approximately when and how it will be submitting this framework proposal?

(1) COM(2001) 370.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 2002)

The Commission is currently developing a methodology for charging for the use of transport infrastructure
which will apply to all modes of transport.

It will be examined with the assistance of experts and the Commission plans to consider a proposal for a
framework directive during the second half of 2002.

(2002/C 172 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0521/02

by Pernille Frahm (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 February 2002)

Subject: Brominated flame retardants

Will the Commission ensure that the current risk assessments of TBBPA, the most commonly used
brominated flame retardant, and HBCD also cover how general users of PCs etc. are exposed to and are
affected by those chemicals?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 2002)

Brominated flame retardants are applied to consumer products to prevent fire from taking hold quickly.
They are found in very many plastic items, such as the casing of electronic and electrical goods, in foam
filled furniture, and on textiles.

The flame retardants hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are priority
substances pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 of 23 March 1993 on the evaluation and
control of the risks of existing substances (1). Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is on the second list of
priority substances with Sweden designated as the Member State ‘rapporteur’ (Commission Regulation (EC)
No 2268/95 of 27 September 1995 (2)). A risk assessment report has been submitted and is currently
being discussed by Member State authorities, industry and other stakeholders. TBBPA is on the fourth
priority list with the United Kingdom designated as ‘rapporteur’ (Commission Regulation (EC) 2364/2000
of 25 October 2000 (3)). The United Kingdom competent authority has not yet submitted a risk assessment
report for this chemical.

A major use of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is as a flame retardant in textiles. The major uses of
tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and derivatives are in the electronics industry (mostly in printed circuit
boards) and in styrene polymers. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) accounts for about half of
the
consumption of all flame retardants.

The risk assessments of priority substances are carried out according to Commission Regulation (EC) No
1488/94 of 28 June 1994 laying down the principles for the assessment of risks to man and the
environment of existing substances in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 (4). This
includes an exposure assessment and a risk characterisation. The assessment of the exposure of consumers
identifies inter alia the usage of the substance in consumer products. The exposure assessment focuses on
those uses for which the highest exposure to consumers is expected to occur on a regular basis.

18.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 172 E/209

The risk to consumers from exposure to HBCD and TBBPA in major consumer products therefore forms
part of a risk assessment pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93.

(1) OJ L 84, 5.4.1993.
(2) OJ L 231, 28.9.1995.
(3) OJ L 273, 26.10.2000.
(4) OJ L 161, 29.6.1994.

(2002/C 172 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0522/02

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(19 February 2002)

Subject: Transmission by Internet and recording of Commission deliberations

In view of Article 1 of the TEU on transparency, Article 255 of the EC Treaty on access to documents,
Article 42 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, Regulation No 1049/2001 (1) of 30 May 2001,
the Commission decisions of 5 December 2001, 29 November 2001 and 23 January 2002 amending the
Commission’s Rules of Procedure and the fact
in Regulation
No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 covers any kind of content whatever its medium (for example audiovisual
recordings of meetings or events), what meetings or deliberations of the Commissions or events organised
by it or connected with it are public and which are not?

the definition of

‘document’

that

What measures is the Commission drawing up to ensure that European citizens can follow these
deliberations, meetings or public events via Internet transmission or the creation of audiovisual archives
accessible by Internet?

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2002)

Without exception the Commission meets as a College once a week outside holiday periods (1). In addition
to its weekly meetings, the Commission, still acting as a College, holds seminars or special meetings. Under
Article 9 of the Commission’s Rules of Procedure (2), these meetings are not public and discussions are
confidential.

Minutes are kept of Commission discussions and decisions. These minutes used to be internal documents.
Since the entry into force of the Commission Decision of 5 December 2001 amending its Rules of
Procedure (3), they have been among the documents which are automatically made accessible to the public;
they are also available on the Europa website at
the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/
secretariat_general/meeting/index_fr.htm.

Records are kept of Commission discussion seminars, at which no decisions are taken but which are
designed to organise the Commission’s work and to lay down the major strategic guidelines for its
activities, but they are not published since they are preparatory acts.

Since the Commission’s meetings are not public, there are no plans to make use of the new technologies
with a view to disseminating them to the general public. However, a video is produced at the start of each
meeting. It is broadcast on ‘Europe by Satellite’ (EbS), the Community’s televised information service, and
in some cases by the Eurovision network of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). These pictures and
the thematic picture banks produced by the Commission are intended to enable television journalists to
the
illustrate the decisions announced at press conferences by the President or the Members of