WRITTEN QUESTION P-0456/03 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Delays in the Information Society operational programme in Greece.
Date: 2003-02-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, commitment of expenditure, information society, operational programme

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/189

No 1774/2002 of the Parliament and of the Council of 31 October 2002 laying down health rules
concerning animal by-products not intended for human consumption, including the prohibition on intra-
species recycling, are correctly implemented before a relaxation of the feed ban is proposed.

The Commission is considering maintaining the current feed ban after 30 June 2003, since some of the
control problems leading to the ban have not yet been solved. Rather than simply extending the current
provisions it may be considered to introduce them into Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the Parliament
and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of
certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (1), and to end the transitional character of the feed ban.
In this way, the legal situation would become clearer.

The current main route to dispose of animal by-products is incineration or landfill. Regulation (EC)
No 1774/2002, which becomes applicable on 1 May 2003, introduces alternatives for disposal or recovery
of animal by-products such as bio-gas production and use as fertiliser.

The estimated Union production of animal by-products is 16,1 million tonnes of which 14,3 million tons
are derived from animals fit for human consumption (category 3). Member States estimate the total costs
for disposal between EUR 100 and EUR 300 per ton of animal by-product. 14,3 million tons of category 3
by-products correspond with about 3 million tons of meat-and bone meal.

(1) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001.

(2003/C 192 E/228)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0456/03

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 February 2003)

Subject: Delays in the ‘Information Society’ operational programme in Greece

Apparently, the ‘Information Society’ programme (cid:1) an operational programme in the third CSF which is
crucial for the development of the Greek economy (cid:1) is experiencing serious delays, prompting the
undertakings which might have taken advantage of it to protest.

The Commission:

1. Could it give the amounts for commitments and uptake of appropriations for this programme?

2. What are the reasons for the serious delays?

3. What action has the Commission taken or does it intend to take to accelerate implementation of the

programme?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2003)

The Commission refers the Honourable Member to the answer to question E-3331/02.

(2003/C 192 E/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0460/03

by Bernd Lange (PSE) to the Commission

(19 February 2003)

Subject: Compliance with emission standards for heavy goods vehicles (Directive 1999/96/EC)

Directive 1999/96/EC (1) lays down EURO III (from 1 October 2000), EURO IV (from 1 January 2005) and
EURO V (from 1 October 2008) standards for exhaust emissions from heavy goods vehicles. An increasing