WRITTEN QUESTION P-1265/02 by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Date for the Third Road Safety Action Plan.
Date: 2002-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU publication, European Commission, action programme, road safety, transport policy

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/171

the Commission would draw the
As regards the policy to combat poverty and social exclusion,
Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that, based on the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council
(March 2000), the open method of coordination was introduced during 2000 and 2001. The approach
adopted is based on the principle of subsidiarity and favours extensive decentralisation: the general
guidelines are drawn up jointly for the Union as a whole, but translating these guidelines into concrete
policies remains the responsibility of the authorities at national, regional and local levels.

In this context, an action framework has been set up for increased cooperation between Member States.
It is based on national action plans to be submitted by the Member States every two years and should lead
to improved knowledge all round, the development of exchanges of information and better assessment of
the effectiveness of anti-exclusion policies.

Analysis of the first national plans submitted in June 2001, one of the aims of which is to promote access
for all to sustainable, high-quality jobs, shows that employment remains the best protection against
poverty and exclusion. Despite this, problems persist for those in a precarious situation on the job market
or in poor-quality jobs, as demonstrated by the fact that 6 % of employees were living below the poverty
line in 1997 (compared with 38 % of the unemployed and 25 % of the non-active population).

The Barcelona European Council (March 2002) asked Member States to set targets in their national action
plans for substantially reducing, by the year 2010, the number of persons threatened by poverty and social
exclusion.

In this process, it is not up to the Commission to prescribe concrete measures for achieving these targets.
This is up to the Member States. The Commission will fully assume its role as regards lending support to
exchange and cooperation initiatives undertaken at European level and evaluating progress made in
eradicating poverty and exclusion.

(1) Belgium, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. For more
‘http://europa.eu.int/comm/eurostat’, under the collection:

details see ‘minimum wages’ at Eurostat’s web site:
Statistics in Focus, theme: Population and Social Conditions.

(2002/C 277 E/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1265/02

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Date for the Third Road Safety Action Plan

(26 April 2002)

For more than a year now, various transport organisations have been wondering when the start date will
be for the Commission’s Third Road Safety Action Plan, since it appears that, according to some of the
information received from the Commission, it might be launched in May or June 2002.

Can the Commission give a firm date for the publication of this Third Road Safety Action Plan?

Can it say in advance what will be the main points of the plan with a view to improving road safety in
Europe?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 May 2002)

The Commission will
Honourable Member refers, during the third quarter of 2002.

issue a communication on the Third Road Safety Action Plan, to which the

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14.11.2002

The Commission’s road safety initiatives, be they studies, subsidies or legislative proposals, will not be
disrupted by this timing.

Regarding the main points of the plan, the Honourable Member should consult the White Paper ‘European
transport policy for 2010: time to decide’ (1), forwarded to the Council and to Parliament, and in particular
Chapter I of the third part thereof.

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.

(2002/C 277 E/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1266/02

by Heinz Kindermann (PSE) to the Commission

(6 May 2002)

Subject: Protection of European eel stocks and catching of elvers

The river eel (Anguilla anguilla) is an important element in Europe’s aquatic fauna and significant on
economic grounds in the fishing industries of many EU Member States. However, for some decades stocks
have been declining rapidly, to such an extent that the eel must now be regarded as an endangered species.

As artificial reproduction of eels is not yet possible, eel stocks can be maintained in inland waters only by
means of elvers spontaneously swimming upstream or being caught near the coast and moved to inland
waters. However, many elvers caught near Europe’s coasts are used not to restock inland waters in Europe
but for direct human consumption or export to Asia for use in fish farming there.

Is the Commission aware of this problem? What has the Commission done in the past to protect European
eel stocks? What measures is it planning to take in the future? Is consideration being given to banning the
catching of elvers for direct human consumption or for export to Asia?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(13 June 2002)

The Commission is fully aware of the value of European eel both as a fishery resource and as part of
Europe’s natural heritage and is preoccupied by the current status of conservation of European eel
populations. Although the reasons for the decline in the eel population is not fully understood there is
enough evidence to suggest that both excessive fishing pressure as well as habitat degradation have
contributed. Action in at least these two areas seem therefore necessary to ensure the conservation and
sustainable exploitation of this species.

The Commission has been asked to propose conservation measures for European eels. In this context, the
Commission is working on a action plan which will be presented to the Council and the Parliament in
autumn 2002. This action plan will analyse the biological and legal complexity of the management of
European eel, and will explore possibilities for its adequate management. The Commission intends to
debate the ideas of this action plan with Council and Parliament, and to make specific proposals for
management action following such debate.