WRITTEN QUESTION E-1788/02 by Josu Ortuondo Larrea (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Autonomous governments' participation in the Spanish Presidency.
Date: 2002-06-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Presidency of the Council of the EU, Spain, autonomous community, conflict of powers, political representation, relations between the State and the regions

C 309 E/162

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

In addition to the technological projects, various thematic networks have been set up during the 5th
Framework Programme, such as the HYNET network for the study of a series of research areas involving
the hydrogen economy. The FCTESTNET network (55 members) is seeking to promote more closely
harmonised test procedures for fuel cells and the exchange of information in this area.

Under the 6th Research and Demonstration Framework Programme, the Commission will be seeking to
promote the construction of a European research area for fuel cells, with a view to creating a working
environment and developing structures for tackling,
in a more coherent and productive manner, the
various issues and challenges associated with this new technology.

In practical terms, this approach could involve the creation of a technology platform bringing together
under this initiative the main players from the scientific and industrial communities as well as the
institutional decision-makers.

A special effort will be made to strengthen cooperation between public and private players and to ensure
improved complementarity between the national programmes and the Research and Technological
Development Framework Programme. Such cooperation is an essential prerequisite for encouraging joint
activities, including the elaboration of harmonised regulatory standards associated with the introduction
and use of new equipment and fuels. The new tools to be made available under the next framework
programme, and in particular the integrated projects and networks of excellence, will provide a platform of
choice for strengthening this cooperation.

2.
The existing framework for promoting electricity from renewable energy sources also implicitly
promotes the use of fuel cells as a means for decentralised electricity generation based on renewable
energy (biogas and biofuels) or for storage of renewable energy (wind energy and photovoltaics). In the
draft Directive for the promotion of the use of biofuels, the targets that should be met by the Member
States will also include the option of such fuel cells (1).

In the draft proposal for cogeneration, which the Commission will submit shortly to Parliament and the
Council, fuel cells have been addressed as one of the technologies that should be promoted.

(1) OJ C 103 E, 30.4.2002.

(2002/C 309 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1788/02

by Josu Ortuondo Larrea (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(24 June 2002)

Subject: Autonomous governments’ participation in the Spanish Presidency

Article 2 of the Spanish Constitution recognises and guarantees the right to autonomy of historical
nationalities such as Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque Country and also extends the same right to the
remaining regions, which have likewise formed autonomous communities. This system has been enshrined
in the Statute of Autonomy. Moreover, the European Treaties entrust the Council with the task of
coordinating the general economic policies of the Member States, and grant it decision-making power.

The Spanish Presidency of the European Union comes to an end in June and this will be the last
opportunity to put questions to the current President-in-Office of the EU Council of Ministers.

Does the Spanish Presidency consider that preventing the governments of the Spanish autonomous
communities from participating in all Presidency-related acts has helped it better to perform its tasks? Does
the Spanish Presidency believe that there is no contradiction between the Treaty provisions establishing
citizenship of the Union and a common policy on external relations, and the Spanish Government’s
insistence, as the sole justification for preventing the governments of autonomous communities from
participating in Councils dealing with matters which fall exclusively within their sphere of competence,
that these matters constitute ‘international relations’?

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/163

Reply

(8 October 2002)

The Council would refer the Honourable Member to the reply it gave to this question in Question Time at
the part-session in February 2002 (QH-963/01 put by Rosa Miguelez Ramos) and at the part-session in
March 2002 (QH-066/02 put by Camilo Nogueira Román).

(2002/C 309 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1804/02

by Dominique Souchet (NI) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Urgent action in support of beekeeping

The European Parliament recently adopted a resolution (Lannoye report (cid:1) A5-0155/2002) on type-
approval of plant-protection products, in paragraph 20 of which it ‘calls on the Commission to ensure that
the plant-protection product evaluation criteria explicitly include assessment of the impact which the
active substances have on domestic bee populations and the views of professional beekeepers organisations
regarding those substances’.

time required for the implementation of

The amount of
this resolution is incompatible with the
seriousness of the situation in which the beekeeping sector finds itself. This problem is largely due to a
catastrophic mortality rate caused by two systemic pesticides (cid:1) imidaclopride and fipronil (cid:1) which are
used to coat the seeds of arable crops and which (as proven by the French National Agricultural Research
Institute of Avignon-Montfavet (INRA) and the analyses carried out by the French National Scientific
Research Centre in Orléans (CNRS) showing the presence at toxic levels of imidaclopride in maize and
sunflower pollens) are harmful not only to the crops treated, but also to future crops since the active
substances remain in crop residues buried in the soil, and subsequently in the humus.

What action does the Commission intend to take, other than applying the precautionary principle, which
ought to have been applied as soon as doubts were raised, in order to prevent the harmful effects of these
two active substances?

What action has it taken in response to the Agriculture Council’s request of 18 February 2002 that it
adopt specific measures to resolve the serious crisis affecting the Community beekeeping sector?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 July 2002)

Article 4 of Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection
products on the market (1) requires Member States to ensure that authorised plant protection products do
not have an unacceptable impact on non-target species; such species include honey bees. As already stated
in the Commission answers to oral question H-0332/01 by Mr Bernié at question time during the
May 2001 session of Parliament (2) and oral question H-0082/01 by Mr Bernié at question time during the
February 2001 session of Parliament (3), both active substances to which the Honourable Member refers are
to be assessed under the Community review programme for existing active substances. Pending the
outcome of that assessment, Member States’ rules continue to apply.

Based on the information available, the Commission still considers immediate action at Community level
to be unnecessary. Member States are free to take appropriate measures in the event of particular concern
about certain uses. For example, as a precaution and in response to concern, France has suspended use of
imidacloprid on sunflowers and is carrying out an epidemiological study. The results will be taken into
account both in France’s own review and in the Community review programme. The Commission has not
so far received any scientific information on similar problems in other Member States. No other
Member State has authorised the use of imidacloprid on sunflowers. The Commission will monitor the
situation and, if necessary, take appropriate measures in due course.