WRITTEN QUESTION P-1483/02 by Christopher Beazley (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Availability of comparative data on education systems throughout the EU.
Date: 2002-05-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, comparative study, educational system, international statistics, level of education, teaching quality

C 229 E/216

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

In view of the above, will the Commission say what it means by ‘significantly modifies the vehicle’s
performance’?

If an individual modifies a vehicle, must a new type-approval be carried out?

If an individual modifies a vehicle by changing parts and components, must they be EC-approved or is it
sufficient to fulfil the requirements of the directives?

(1) OJ L 225, 10.8.1992, p. 72.
(2) OJ L 226, 18.8.1997, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2002)

Framework Directive 92/61/EEC of 30 June 1992 relating to the type-approval of two or three-wheel
motor vehicles, and its separate directives, Directive 97/24/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of
17 June 1997 on certain components and characteristics of two or three-wheel motor vehicles being one
of them, contain design and manufacturing requirements for two or three-wheel motor vehicles and
components in order to ensure both the proper functioning of the internal market and a high standard of
road safety and environmental and consumer protection.

To ensure that all types of the above mentioned vehicles and components marketed within the Community
fulfill the requirements of the relevant directives they need to be type-approved by a responsible authority
within one of the Member States.

In instances when a vehicle of a type that has been approved is modified subsequently by the owner or at
the instigation of the owner, it is within the discretion exercised by the national authorities to determine if
the original type-approval certificate is still valid or if a single vehicle approval is necessary.

All vehicles covered by the said directives and put into service within the Community need to be type-
approved according to harmonized Community legislation or national requirements for single or small
series approval.

Directive 97/24/EC contains in its Chapter 7 certain anti-tampering measures for two-wheel mopeds and
motorcycles the aim of which is to prevent, as far as possible, unauthorized modifications which may
prejudice safety,
in particular by increasing vehicle performance and damage the environment. The
purpose of these provisions is both to limit the possibilities for consumers to tamper with their vehicles
and to increase the possibilities for law enforcement authorities to detect tampered vehicles. The Directive
mentions measures concerning restrictions of the interchangability of non-identical parts between vehicles,
modifications in the intake or exhaust system, the engine and/or the motor management. Modifications are
e.g. not acceptable if they lead to an increase of the maximum power of a motorbike of more than 10 % or
to an increase of the maximum speed of a moped by more than 5 kilometers per hour. Furthermore the
maximum design speed or the maximum net engine power for each category concerned may not be
exceeded at all.

(2002/C 229 E/248)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1483/02

by Christopher Beazley (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 May 2002)

Subject: Availability of comparative data on education systems throughout the EU

The Commission stated in its written answer to E-1390/01 (1) regarding comparative assessment of
education systems that the objective of quality assessments is to ‘identify areas within which comparisons
between countries could be made in order to identify good practice, exchange experience and define main
policy challenges’.

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/217

The Commission’s Report on the Quality of School Education is the most recent document containing
comparative figures across EU Member States on education systems. Would the Commission agree that, as
the figures contained in this report are mostly from 1997, in order to identify good practice and define the
main policy challenges further indicators are needed?

Also, would the Commission agree that figures comparing youth crime rates and school drop-out rates
comparatively across the EU would be highly beneficial to policy-makers? Is the Commission able to
supply these figures?

(1) OJ C 364 E, 20.12.2001, p. 98.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(17 June 2002)

The Commission agrees that further indicators are needed in order to define the main policy challenges in
the education and training areas. In effect, the work that was started through the Report on Quality of
School Education has been continued, on the request of the European Ministers of Education, in order to
identify Quality Indicators of Lifelong Learning. The report will be presented to the Conference of
European Ministers of Education which will take place in Bratislava in June 2002.

Indicators, together with the exchange of good practice and peer reviews, play a central role in the open
method of co-ordination and in particular in the detailed work programme on the follow-up of the report
on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems in Europe, adopted by the Council in
February 2002 (1) and presented to the Spring 2002 European Council. Indicators will be developed for all
the objectives areas for which they are deemed to be the most viable method of comparison.

A standing group on indicators and benchmarking,
from candidate countries is being set up by the Commission to monitor this process.

including representatives from Member States and

The Commission is aware of the fact that at the same time it will be necessary to expand the quantity and
quality of internationally comparable statistics in education and training. The development of the open
method of co-ordination will rely on such improvements.

Lastly, while one of the structural indicators on social cohesion covers early school leavers, no European
data are yet available on youth crime. The Commission considers that it would certainly be worth
exploring the links suggested by the Honourable Member in the future, as soon as comparable data on
youth crime are available.

(1) OJ C 58, 5.3.2002.

(2002/C 229 E/249)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1524/02

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 June 2002)

Subject: Imports of beef into the EU

Can the Commission state what quantities of beef are being imported annually into the EU and from
which countries?