WRITTEN QUESTION E-0668/02 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Support for the market in electrically powered cars.
Date: 2002-03-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common transport policy, electric vehicle, pollution control measures, sales aid, soft energy, sustainable mobility, urban transport

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/187

However, the Commission cannot be aware of all situations which are likely to be considered as a bad
application of environmental Community law by the Member States. Such situations are normally drawn
to the attention of the Commission by letters of complaint, Parliamentary Written Questions and Petitions
to the Petitions Committee of the Parliament. Situations claimed to be inconsistent with the relevant
Community law need to be precisely described so as to enable the Commission to assess them in relation
to applicable Community environmental law.

In the specific situations pointed out by the Honourable Member,
the Community Directive on
environmental impact assessment (EIA) (Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment
of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1) whether before or after being
amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (2)) constitutes the possibly relevant Community
law.

However, on the basis of the information given by the Honourable Member, due to a lack of specific
grounds on the complaint on the application of the EIA Directive, no breach of it can be identified at
present. Should the Honourable Member provide detailed information enabling the Commission to assess
the issues in relation to the above-mentioned Directive, the Commission would be able to investigate this
matter.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2002/C 205 E/200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0668/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Support for the market in electrically powered cars

(11 March 2002)

In the light of the extent of pollution in towns and cities, what measures will the Commission take and
what measures will it propose that the Member States adopt to support the market in electrically powered
cars or cars which combine electric power with conventional systems?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(25 April 2002)

As the Commission says in its White Paper European transport policy for 2010: time to decide (1), the
subsidiarity principle dictates that responsibility for urban transport lies mainly with the national and local
authorities.

The Commission is not, however, unaware of the ills besetting transport in urban areas and spoiling the
quality of life.

It therefore basically supports the promotion of good practice in the areas concerned, and with its research
is backing numerous projects on
and technological development and demonstration programmes it
alternative fuels and vehicles.

For example,
in October 2000 the Commission launched the Civitas initiative, with a budget of
€ 50 million, to help with carrying out integrated and innovative clean urban transport projects which will
enable electrically powered vehicles to find their proper place in large-scale applications.

Furthermore, between 1995 and 1999 the research and technological development (RTD) programme
Thermie financed some 15 projects totalling € 25 million for demonstrating ‘clean’ vehicles in the urban
environment (especially electric vehicles and hybrids).

C 205 E/188

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

In line with the Commission’s strategy on alternative fuels (2), which seeks to evaluate the potential
contribution of each alternative fuel to the key political problems such as dependence on oil products,
security of supply, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, the Commission recently started up some new
demonstration projects on electric buses powered by fuel cells, notably the Cute and Ectos projects, with a
budget of more than € 25 million. These projects will make it possible to study how transport companies
and local authorities can make use of this technology.

The Commission is contributing to the development of clean vehicles on the market both by laying down
increasingly stringent emission requirements and by supporting research and demonstration projects which
will allow vehicle technologies to gain the necessary maturity for promotion on an industrial scale.
According to the subsidiarity principle, on the other hand, incentive schemes to encourage the purchase of
such vehicles are a matter for the national, regional and local authorities.

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.
(2) Communication from the Commission to the Council,

the Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions on alternative fuels for road transportation and on a set of measures
to promote the use of biofuels, COM(2001) 547 final.

the European Parliament,

(2002/C 205 E/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0676/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 March 2002)

Subject: Cancellation of tendering procedure for the Thessaloniki underground

Three years after the Greek Parliament approved under law 2717/99 the contract for the construction of
the Thessaloniki underground,
the project and to issue
invitations to tender for the construction of a tramline.

is now seeking to cancel

the Government

Is the Commission aware of the Government’s intentions?

What has caused the delays to date in the construction of the Thessaloniki underground?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2002)

The Commission is unaware of
the intentions which the honourable Member claims the Greek
Government has. As a result, the Commission can neither confirm nor refute the information put forward
by the honourable Member to the effect that the Greek Government plans to cancel the project in question
and to opt for the construction of a tramline.

With regard to the honourable Member’s second question, the Commission emphasises that the actual
implementation of public works concession projects in the Member States is the responsibility of the
concessionnaire and of the State. As the Commission has told Parliament on several occasions, it would
appear that the financing plan for the project has not yet been finalised and that it is still being negotiated
by the Member State, the concessionnaire, the European Investment Bank and commercial banks.