WRITTEN QUESTION E-0444/02 by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission. Further postponement of a long overdue revision of the 1991 Directive on batteries.
Date: 2002-02-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: drafting of EU law, electrical engineering, electricity storage device, electronic waste, environmental law, environmental risk prevention, waste management

C 205 E/142

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

The Commission is planning to carry out two studies, one on island regions and one on mountain areas.
The aim is to collect information about the factors that hamper regional development. At the same time,
the intention is to discuss the development needs of the regions and methods whereby new development
can be initiated in those areas.

Will the Commission also carry out a study of the needs of the sparsely settled region in the North and
methods of developing it? How will it address the problems of these regions when arranging the various
seminars to prepare future EU regional policy?

(1) COM(2002) 46.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2002)

As it stated in its First progress report on economic and social cohesion (1), the Commission has requested
two studies, one on island regions and the other on mountain areas, in order to carry out an objective
diagnosis of their situation. The study on mountain areas includes the Arctic areas, in this case those
located north of the 62nd parallel. The study is intended to quantify and assess the handicaps affecting
these areas, describe their specific needs and look at the actions and policies developed by the Member
States and the Union and the impact they have had.

Moreover, the question of the northern areas with a low population density will be on the agenda for the
seminar on territorial priorities to be held on 27 and 28 May 2002 in Brussels to which Parliament will be
invited and will also be covered in the workshop on the European integration of the regions. These
seminars will seek to assess whether there is, for each priority, a field of Community assistance to be
defined which would in future constitute an area of eligibility under the Structural Funds.

(1) COM(2002) 46 final.

(2002/C 205 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0444/02

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(21 February 2002)

Subject: Further postponement of a long overdue revision of the 1991 Directive on batteries

The revision of the Directive on batteries (91/157 (1) and 93/86 (2)) has been in preparation since 1997,
but has been put back on several occasions, inter alia because it did not contain assessments of the risk
presented by cadmium for example, although Denmark and the Netherlands have had complete bans on
the use of cadmium since the Eighties and despite the Council resolution of 25 January 1988 (3), in which
the Commission was called upon to pursue without delay the development of specific measures for a
Community action programme to combat environmental pollution by cadmium, and despite the Council’s
conclusions of June 2001 that new electrical and electronic equipment should not contain cadmium. Does
the Commission know of companies producing batteries containing no cadmium; if so, will it list the
companies, and their products?

At an informal meeting in December 2001 with a number of PSE members of the European Parliament’s
Committee on the Environment, Commissioner Wallström said that a Commission proposal was expected
in January 2002, but it appears that the proposal has been postponed again. What was the reason for
postponing it again? Is it because of matters that could not be investigated over the last nearly five years?
in this matter have approached the
Which major industrial groups or companies with an interest

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Commission? When does it now expect to submit a proposal? It appears that the timetable for the risk
analyses on account of which the revision was postponed, although they had in fact already been carried
out, has slipped again. Will the Commission finally state when it expects to submit a proposal to amend
the directive on batteries?

(1) OJ L 78, 26.3.1991, p. 38.
(2) OJ L 264, 23.10.1993, p. 51.
(3) OJ C 30, 4.2.1988, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(18 April 2002)

The main objective of the future revision of Council Directive 91/157/EEC of 18 March 1991 on batteries
and accumulators containing certain dangerous substances (1)
is ensure the environmentally sound
management of all batteries and accumulators. This is widely shared objective and reflects the approach
taken in a number of Member States, which have adopted requirement concerning the collection and
recycling of all batteries.

The main point of contention in relation to the revision of the directive concerns the appropriate measures
to ensure that Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries do not pose risk to human health and the environment. In
its preparation of a new proposal, the Commission is currently analysing the potential risks and a number
of possible risk reduction measures. These include mandatory take back systems, deposit schemes, and/or
marketing and use restrictions. In this context the question of substitution is examined as well, which is
raised in the first part of the Honourable Member’s question. It is of course the case that there are many
companies producing many different types of batteries, which do not contain cadmium. There are different
types of rechargeable batteries available on the market each of them with their own technical and
environmental specificity. The Commission’s decision will be based on the analysis of the relative benefits
of a cadmium ban in comparison with other economic instruments, in particular a deposit system.

The above mentioned analysis will
forthcoming in a near future.

form the basis of

the Commission’s proposal, which will be

Finally, the Commission engages in a open and constructive dialogue with all interested parties, including
representatives of civil society, of national authorities and of industry. The latter includes the European
Battery Recycling Association (EBRA), CollectNiCad, the European Portable Battery Association (EPBA) and
the association of European Storage Battery Manufactures (Eurobat).

(1) OJ L 78, 26.3.1991.

(2002/C 205 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0448/02

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 February 2002)

Subject: NGOs

Which organisations make up the social platform of NGOs?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 April 2002)

The Platform of European Social non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
(often called ‘the Social
Platform’) has 37 European member organisations operating in the social sector. Several applications for
full membership are now pending, and associate membership is now available to social NGOs within the
accession countries.