WRITTEN QUESTION E-0954/02 by Pat Gallagher (UEN) to the Commission. Health and safety in agriculture.
Date: 2002-04-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF, aid to agriculture, common agricultural policy, farmer, occupational health, occupational safety, rural development

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/115

the
national measures transposing Directive 97/11/EC), C-33/2001 (failure to communicate any of
information required under Article 8(3) of Directive 91/689/EEC (4)), C-301/2001 (non-conformity of
national measures transposing Directive 85/337/EEC), C-302/2001 (uncontrolled disposal of waste at the
Epitalio landfill site), C-83/2002 (failure to communicate the information specified in Article 11 of
Directive 96/59/EC (5)) and C-119/2002 (absence of a collecting system and a treatment plant for the
tertiary treatment of urban waste water in the Thriassion area).

(1) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private

projects on the environment, OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment

of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) Council Directive 98/81/EC of 26 October 1998 amending Directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of

genetically modified micro-organisms, OJ L 330, 5.12.1998.

(4) Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December 1991 on hazardous waste, OJ L 377, 31.12.1991.
(5) Council Directive 96/59/EC of 16 September 1996 on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and poly-

chlorinated terpheynls (PCB/PCT), OJ L 243, 24.9.1996.

(2002/C 277 E/129)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0954/02

by Pat Gallagher (UEN) to the Commission

(9 April 2002)

Subject: Health and safety in agriculture

Bearing in mind that the mid-term review of Agenda 2000 will shortly get under-way, and given that
farming per se is an activity with inherent safety risks, would the Commission support a call by the
European Parliament to include under the Rural Development pillar of the CAP a measure which offered
incentives to farmers to improve the safety environment of their farmyard and farm?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2002)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concern regarding the high level of accidents recorded
on farm and notes his request to introduce a new measure under the 2nd Pillar (rural development) of the
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to provide incentives to farmers to improve farm safety.

The Commission would draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the already existing possibilities for
Community support for actions to improve farm safety under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of
17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund (EAGGF) (1).

Two of the measures offered under the above Regulation are of particular relevance. These are first, the
measure concerning support for vocational training for farmers and other persons involved in agricultural
activities, under which training actions designed to increase farmers knowledge and skills related to health
and safety on-farm would be eligible and, second, the measure providing support for investment in
agricultural holdings, which makes reference to eligibility of investments to improve the living and
working conditions on farm, which could encompass investments required to improve health and safety.

Community rural development policy is implemented in a decentralised way, in line with the principle of
subsidiarity and in order to take account of the diverse situations of Europe’s rural areas. It is therefore the
responsibility of the Member States to decide which of the ‘menu’ of twenty-two rural development
measures offered in Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 are best suited to the particular needs of their rural
areas and the share of the financial resources they wish to allocate to each measure (including, for
example, any more-targeted schemes to improve farm health and safety) from within the funding envelope
allocated to them at Community-level.

C 277 E/116

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

The Commission is open to suggestions on any additional action which might be required at Community
level to promote farm safety. However, given the possibilities already available to Member States under
Community rural development policy, the Commission does not currently consider there is a need to
introduce a separate and specific measure devoted to farm safety within the 2nd Pillar of the CAP.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 277 E/130)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0955/02

by Gilles Savary (PSE) to the Commission

(9 April 2002)

Subject: Infrastructure tariffs

To what extent and under what conditions is the introduction of obligatory and selective charges or tolls
with a view to favouring modal transfer between different modes of transport compatible with Community
law as the relevant jurisprudence currently stands, particularly as regards the principle of the freedom of
movement of goods and persons, and the competition rules?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 May 2002)

At present Directive 1999/62/EC of the Parliament and the Council of 17 June 1999 on the charging of
heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (1) in road transport lays down the conditions
under which Member States may levy taxes, tolls and user charges for heavy goods vehicles.

As announced in its White Paper on the European transport policy (2) and expected by the Council, the
Commission is preparing a framework to ensure that the price of using different modes of transport better
reflects costs to society.

It intends to issue in the coming months a working document describing a methodology which relates
infrastructure charges to infrastructure, congestion, pollution and accident costs in all modes and which
will provide the basis for developing the future Community framework related to infrastructure charging.

This framework will meet the concerns of both ensuring efficient use of infrastructure and facilitating the
financing of new infrastructure. Further measures to organise a progressive and coordinated implemen-
tation will be considered afterwards.

(1) OJ L 187, 20.7.1999.
(2) COM(2001) 370.

(2002/C 277 E/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0957/02

by Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: St Llorenç-Collserola Via Verda

(9 April 2002)

By decision of 17 May 2001, the local council of Cerdanyola in Catalonia (Spain) adopted an agreement to
amend the ‘Barcelona metropolitan general plan’ town planning regulation in respect of its provisions for
Sant Cugat del Vallès-Cerdanyola.