WRITTEN QUESTION E-3357/02 by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Daily transit of bin lorries through Macastre (Valencia — Spain).
Date: 2002-11-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community of Valencia, carriage of goods, environmental protection, infringement of EU law, waste management, waste recycling

C 222 E/62

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

for a framework directive on fair commercial practices. The Commission’s work programme for 2003
confirms that an extended impact assessment report will be delivered with a proposal
in the second
quarter of 2003. The Member of the Commission responsible for Health and Consumer Protection also
presented the conclusions of surveys and a study on impact assessment to the Competitiveness Council of
14 November 2002. This study, which will form the basis of the impact assessment that will accompany
the proposal, will be made available on the website of Directorate General Health and Consumer
Protection.

(1) COM(2001) 531 final.
(2) COM(2002) 289 final.

(2003/C 222 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3357/02

by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(27 November 2002)

Subject: Daily transit of bin lorries through Macastre (Valencia (cid:1) Spain)

Over a hundred lorries laden with refuse pass through the streets of Macastre every day, heading for the
Dos Aguas tip and causing major problems to the local population, since the refuse is not hermetically
sealed on board the heavy lorries which transport it. Hence there are serious problems of smells, spillage,
noise, etc.

The people of Macastre would not be suffering from these problems if the authorities responsible for
collecting and transporting refuse within the Valencian Metropolitan Area for the Dos Aguas tip were
applying the relevant Community legislation correctly.

One of the purposes of Directives 75/442/EEC (1) and 91/156/EEC (2) on waste is to protect human and
environmental health from the prejudicial effects of collecting, transporting, treating and storing waste.

What steps can the Commission take to guarantee that Community legislation is applied in the above
instance?

(1) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975, p. 39.
(2) OJ L 78, 26.3.1991, p. 32.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2003)

From the perspective of Community legislation on waste management, it is important to underline that
Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste as amended (1) stipulates a number of obligations
for Member States in connection with the management of waste, including in relation to the collection and
transportation of waste.

Specifically, Article 4 of the Directive requires Member States to take the necessary measures to ensure that
waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or
methods which could harm the environment,
including without causing a nuisance through noise or
odours. Member States are also required under that provision to take the necessary measures to prohibit
the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled disposal of waste. In addition, Article 8 requires Member
States to ensure that any holders of waste has it handled by a private or public waste collector or recovers
or disposes it himself in accordance with the Directive. Article 12 stipulates that undertakings carrying out
the collection and transport of waste must be registered with competent authorities, where not subject to
authorisation. Finally, Member States are required under Article 13 to carry out periodic inspections of
undertakings engaged in the collection and transportation of waste, with a view to ensuring that the
requirements set out in the Directive are adhered to.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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In addition to Council Directive 75/442/EEC on waste, Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December
1991 on hazardous waste (2) contains additional specific requirements pertaining to the transportation of
hazardous waste.

If the Honourable Member or other person has any evidence to the effect that the above-mentioned or
other Community obligations have been infringed, it is open to them to file a formal written complaint
with the Commission.

(1) By Council Directive 91/156/EEC of 18 March 1991 and Commission Decision 96/350/EC of 24 May 1996 (cid:1)

OJ L 135, 6.6.1996.
(2) OJ L 377, 31.12.1991.

(2003/C 222 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3371/02

by Marianne Eriksson (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(27 November 2002)

Subject: Cairo document and reproductive health

At a preparatory meeting held ahead of the next ESCAP meeting in Bangkok, the Bush Administration
declared that it would not support the action plan adopted at the UN’s international conference in Cairo in
1994. One aspect on which the action plan focuses is women’s right to functioning reproductive health
and sex education in the developing countries. The USA will now oppose this plan and instead
recommend sexual abstinence and family planning. It is a major retrograde step to deny the women of the
world their reproductive rights when one woman dies every minute as a result of the complications of an
abortion or pregnancy.

Will the Council, therefore, go against the USA and continue to support the Cairo document at the
meeting in December?

Reply

(8 May 2003)

The Council continues to support the Action Plan adopted at the UN’s International Conference on
Population and Development which was held in Cairo in 1994.

It has not had the opportunity to discuss with the USA its position on the implementation of the Plan.

However, the Council would emphasise that at its meeting in May 2002 in its development configuration
it adopted conclusions in paragraph 13 of which it stated that with a view to intensifying support for
health in developing countries and build further on each other’s strengths and comparative advantages,
it welcomed the intention by the Commission to reinforce cooperative arrangements with the Member
States, and with international organisations or public/private entities,
in particular the UNFPA, and
considered that these arrangements should also benefit initiatives taken at regional and national levels.

(2003/C 222 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3376/02

by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 November 2002)

Subject: Accident at sea off the Galician coast

Legislation has been tightened up in the area of maritime safety in recent years because of the accident rate
among vessels, especially oil tankers, which have a serious impact on coastal areas.