WRITTEN QUESTION E-1207/02 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Guido Podestà (PPE-DE)and Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Light pollution.
Date: 2002-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air quality, astronomy, climate change, energy saving, environmental protection, lighting, pollutant

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/159

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2002)

Current Community rules permit the freedom of establishment of road transport operators within the
Union and facilitate the mutual recognition by Member States of diplomas, certificates and other evidence
of formal qualifications to this effect. The choice of Member State of establishment is based on many
factors, amongst which may be tax rates, although for annual vehicle taxes Community-wide minimum
rates apply. Driving times are governed by common Community rules as are many of the vehicle safety
requirements.

In correspondence with the Luxembourg authorities, the Commission understands that 315 road haulage
firms were established in Luxembourg in 2000. The Commission initially expressed its concern to the
Luxembourg authorities following complaints from trade union sources at an apparent rise in ‘post-box’
companies set up in Luxembourg. The exact number of these companies is however unknown. Following
the ruling by the Court of Justice on 13 December 2001 (1) on a case brought by the Commission where
Luxembourg was condemned for not transposing Community rules on admission to the occupation of
road transport operator and the recent ‘Kralowetz’ case, the Luxembourg authorities have now indicated
that the relevant legislative proposals to address this situation will be treated with due urgency.

The Community rules (2) governing the establishment of road transport operators in Member States lay
down minimum qualitative conditions and also require the Member States to check regularly that these
conditions have been fulfilled. The common Community rules have been strengthened in 1998 and the
Commission has no plans at present to amend this legislation.

(1) C-107/01 Court ruling given 13 December 2001.
(2) Council Directive 98/76/EC of 1 October 1998 amending Directive 96/26/EC on admission to the occupation of
road haulage operator and road passenger transport operator and mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and
other evidence of
to freedom of
establishment in national and international operations, OJ L 277, 14.10.1998.

formal qualifications intended to facilitate for these operators the right

(2002/C 277 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1207/02

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Guido Podestà (PPE-DE)
and Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 April 2002)

Subject: Light pollution

The continual increase in light pollution is reaching worrying proportions.

In Italy and many other European countries it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the smaller
heavenly bodies and in some cases impossible even to see the Milky Way with the naked eye.

Apart from a pointless waste of energy and money, this phenomenon also has adverse effects on human
health (it can lead to problems of myopia and hormonal disturbances with potentially teratogenetic
effects), on fauna (influencing hunting, reproduction and migration habits) and flora (affecting photo-
synthesis and photoperiodism).

Equally important is the harm done to the scientific study of the cosmos, a branch of science which from
the very dawn of civilization has influenced, stimulated and fascinated mankind and helped it to develop.

Well-documented research predicts that, if nothing is done, the luminosity of the sky will increase at a rate
of 10 % per year.

C 277 E/160

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

No limits have been placed on the expansion of this phenomenon (except for a number of regional laws),
because of the lack of interest on the part of the bodies responsible both in Italy and the rest of Europe.

What measures will the Commission take to introduce specific and uniform controls on this type of
pollution?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 June 2002)

The Commission would like to refer the Honourable Members to its replies given to a number of written
questions on the issue of light pollution: written questions E-0514/96 by Mr Teverson (1), E-2789/98 by
Mr Watson (2) and E-3301/00 by Mr McNally (3).

The environmental and health impacts of light pollution due to excessive and badly designed outdoor
lighting still have to be demonstrated and consequently the Commission is not considering making
proposals for action at Union level in this area. We also need to bear in mind that the design and intensity
of outdoor lighting are in general the responsibility of national or even local authorities which have to take
into account other elements such as safety and security factors when authorising such installations.

However, the Commission would agree with the Honourable Members that wherever possible we should
reduce wasteful energy uses and improve the energy efficiency of products and equipment,
including
outdoor lighting through initiatives at both Union and national
level. Such initiatives can make an
important contribution to meeting the Union’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under
the Kyoto Protocol.

The European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) was set up in co-operation with stakeholders and
Member States experts to identify concrete policy measures that can contribute to meeting our climate
change objectives. The supply and use of energy is of course to the fore in the ECCP, including more
efficient use of lighting. In this respect the recent proposal for a Directive on the energy performance of
buildings (4) that was supported by the ECCP is of particular importance since one of its objectives is to
promote energy efficiency in buildings, including lighting.

There are also on-going initiatives such as the Green Light Programme, launched on 7 February 2000 by
the Commission’s Directorate General Energy and Transport. This is a voluntary pollution prevention
initiative encouraging non-residential electricity consumers to commit towards the Commission as regards
installing energy-efficient lighting technologies in their facilities. Its objectives are to reduce the energy
consumption from indoor and outdoor lighting throughout Europe, thus reducing polluting emissions and
limiting the global warming and to improve the quality of visual conditions while saving money.

(1) OJ C 217, 26.7.1996.
(2) OJ C 96, 8.4.1999.
(3) OJ C 261 E, 18.9.2001.
(4) OJ C 213 E, 31.7.2001.

(2002/C 277 E/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1215/02

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

(29 April 2002)

Subject: Situation of pomace oil

The food-poisoning tragedy caused by the alfa-benzopyrene contamination of Spanish pomace oil caused
severe losses both to the pomace industries affected by that contamination and those which were not. In
order to offset these losses and pull the sector out of crisis, the Spanish Government granted state aid to
the industry. The Commission now has this aid in its sights.