WRITTEN QUESTION E-3382/02 by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR)and Mikko Pesälä (ELDR) to the Commission. Promotion of timber building in the European Union.
Date: 2002-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European forestry policy, building materials, building regulations, construction policy, enlargement of the Union, market prices, sustainable forest management, wood for construction, wood industry

12.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137 E/197

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 2002)

The Staff Regulations of the European civil service clearly require officials to exercise the greatest discretion
with regard to facts and information coming to their knowledge in the course of, or in connection with,
the performance of their duties. Such a requirement is common to public services in democracies.

According to established case law, this obligation is intended primarily to preserve the relationship of trust
which must exist between the European institutions and their officials or other employees.

Mrs Andreasen was properly reminded of her statutory obligations as an official and requested to seek the
prior agreement of her hierarchy before making public statements.

Mrs Adreasen has only once ever requested prior agreement before making public statements and that very
recently on 2 December 2002.

(2003/C 137 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3382/02

by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR)
and Mikko Pesälä (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 November 2002)

Subject: Promotion of timber building in the European Union

Together with other forested EU Member States, Finland has taken initiatives in various contexts seeking to
create a common programme to promote building with wood. The role of timber building and the
opportunities it represents will be enhanced still further on the EU’s eastward enlargement.

However, there is a risk that the prices of sawmill products will be forced down if even more producers of
timber goods appear on the single market. Particular attention should be paid to price stability on the
market, so that producers of machine-processed timber products in the new Member States do not find
themselves in difficulties.

At the same time, there is a need to boost demand by means of special timber building programmes.
Timber building is an environmentally friendly alternative in many respects, provided the timber
production chain operates in a sustainable manner.

What measures does the Commission propose to take to promote timber building in the European Union
and how will it guarantee market price stability when the EU is enlarged?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 2003)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Members that eastward expansion of the Union offers
significant challenges for the forestry, wood and furniture sectors. The presence of substantial forest
resources offers a quality raw material in relative abundance to the forest-based and furniture industries.
However, in order to mobilise these timber resources economically in keeping with the environmental,
social and cultural functions which the forests have to fulfil, will require significant investment in plant,
governance and infrastructures. On the consumption side, the extent to which the domestic markets of the
new Member States will absorb increased output will depend on the growth of their economies and on the
choices of consumers.

The Commission would agree also that the use of timber in buildings can represent a sustainable use of
resources. Timber is, moreover, one of those materials which is likely to be used more and more in the
building trade, both as a basic material and in components for assembly.

C 137 E/198

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

12.6.2003

Given that the utilisation of new knowledge and the development of new techniques have helped to put
timber in much the same position as concrete and steel, appropriate technical specifications need to be
drawn up both to harmonise elements of design and to ensure the free movement of products and
assembled kits.

In order to provide a framework for the internal market in construction products, the Commission, under
Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products (1), has issued various
standardisation mandates to the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) to draw up appropriate
technical specifications which will allow the ‘Community’ mark to be granted to timber products,
assemblies and kits, thus enabling these products to benefit from all the opportunities opened up by
European standardisation.

In addition, the Commission is continuing to monitor closely, and lend substantial support to, the drafting
and promotion of Eurocode No 5 (the specific code for the design of timber structures), drawn up by the
CEN’s TC 250 Committee.

It was against this background also that the Enhanced Use of Wood was one of the key themes of the
Forest-based Industries Forum, held in Stockholm in June 2001. This permitted a wide ranging discussion
of the challenges involved, and the issues raised continue to be discussed under the auspices of the
Commission’s Advisory Committee on the Forestry and Forest-based Industries in co-operation with the
industry and its organisations.

At a more general level, the 6th Community Environmental Action Plan, adopted by the Parliament in July
2002, proposes to stimulate the increase of market share for sustainably produced wood,
inter alia,
through certification for sustainable forest management and encouraging the labelling of related products.
However, the Commission can not directly promote the use of any particular material, whether wood or
otherwise, nor can it intervene to ensure market price stability.

(1) OJ L 40, 11.2.1989.

(2003/C 137 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3389/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 November 2002)

Subject: Progress with implementation of operational programme ‘Competitiveness’

According to information published in the Greek press concerning the operational programme
‘Competitiveness’, the contracts signed to date under that programme amount to 16,9 % of the total,
while the expenditure disbursed totals 6,9 %.

Does the Commission agree with these figures? It is satisfied with the progress made in implementing this
programme? What steps must be taken to remedy this situation?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2003)

Under the rules the annual implementation report submitted to the Commission within six months of the
end of each calendar year and the intermediate evaluation findings constitute the monitoring documents.
It is on the basis of these reports that the Commission conveys its position on the progress of a
programme.

According to the reports in question it is incumbent on the Monitoring Committee to propose what action
ought to be taken to accelerate implementation of the Competitiveness Operational Programme.

The Commission has nonetheless under the partnership arrangements drawn the national authorities
attention to certain possible improvements in the programme.