WRITTEN QUESTION E-0879/03 by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission. Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC.
Date: 2003-03-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: BEUC, European association, consumer movement, cooperation policy, directive (EU), exchange of information, non-governmental organisation, publication, water, water management

C 280 E/110

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

(2003/C 280 E/125)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0879/03

by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission

(21 March 2003)

Subject: Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC

Following the adoption of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC (1)) the Commission issued in May
2001 a document entitled ‘Common Strategy on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive’.

Can the Commission please provide information on:

1.

the progress that has been made to date on the Common Implementation Strategy;

2. which stakeholders have been involved by the Commission in the work on the Common

Implementation Strategy;

3. what arrangements were made to involve consumers and in particular water consumers in the

Common Implementation Strategy?

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2003)

1.
The Common Implementation Strategy was adopted four months after the publication of the
Directive 2000/60/EC (1), aiming in particular at information sharing, developing guidance documents, and
application, testing and validation of these guidance documents. Looking back at the first phase of 1 ½
years, the strategy has delivered on expectations, both in terms of joint ownership, of involvement of
stakeholders and non governmental organisations (NGOs), delivering guidance documents (to date 11) and
establishing a network of pilot river basins across Europe including future Member States for testing and
validation.

Together with the implementation strategy, criteria for the involvement of stakeholders and NGOs
2.
were agreed in May 2001, basically for the strategic level which has led to the formation of a Strategic Co-
ordination Group. This is an umbrella organisation made of national or regional organisations, having a
demonstrated profile with regard to water policy. In June 2001, a range of possible interested parties were
invited to an information meeting.

To date the following stakeholders and NGOs are involved at strategic level (Strategic Coordination Group)
and/or working level (Working Groups):

(cid:1) European Water Association (EWA),

(cid:1) Eureau (European Water Suppliers and Wastewater Operators Association),

(cid:1) European Environmental Bureau (EEB),

(cid:1) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Europe,

(cid:1) Union of the Electricity Industry (Eurelectric),

(cid:1) European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC),

(cid:1) Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the European Union / General committee for Agricultural

Cooperation in the European Union (COPA/Cogeca),

(cid:1) UNICE (Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe),

(cid:1) European Crop Protection Association (ECPA),

(cid:1) Federation of Mediterranean Irrigation Associations (Fenacore),

(cid:1) Environmental Platform of Regional Offices (EPRO).

21.11.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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In October 2001, the Commission invited European consumer umbrella organisations, the Bureau
3.
européen des Unions des Consommateurs (BEUC) and Association of European Consumers (AEC), to
participate in the implementation strategy process, informing them about the Water Framework Directive,
its mandatory public participation in developing the river basin management plans as well as about the
implementation strategy. However, neither organisations has to date joined the implementation strategy
process.

(1) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for

Community action in the field of water policy (cid:1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.

(2003/C 280 E/126)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0898/03

by Wilhelm Piecyk (PSE) to the Commission

(21 March 2003)

Subject: Procurement of paper by the Commission

The Commission first ordered recycled paper with a higher than 90 % degree of whiteness in 2000.

The cost (based on the general market price) of purchasing recycled paper with a whiteness of almost
100 % is around 20-30 % higher than that for recycled paper of a lower degree of whiteness. The use of
recycled paper with a high degree of whiteness (e.g. from cutting waste) is also contrary to the notion of a
cycle and therefore sends out the wrong signal from the point of view of environmental policy.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. What kind of recycled paper and of what degree of whiteness has the Commission been buying since

2000?

2. To what extent can the use of almost 100 % white recycled paper be reconciled with the premises
outlined in the Green Paper on integrated product policy relating to procurement, which call for
public procurement rules ‘of an essentially economic nature’ and ‘changes of consumption towards
greener products’?

3. How does the Commission justify or offset the additional costs arising from the use of 100 % white

recycled paper?

4. What form of call for tenders will the Commission use in future, so as not to exclude suppliers of

ecological recycled paper from selection procedures from the outset?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

Until 2000, the Commission used ‘Trend White’ recycled reprographic paper supplied by the firm
1.
Steinbeis Temming. The whiteness level of this paper was 80 %. From January 2001 to date, as a result of
the call for tenders 99/32/Admin.D.2, the Commission has been using reprographic paper which is 100 %
recycled from used paper (post consumer) and is characterised by an ISO (International Organisation for
Standardisation) whiteness level of 106 %.

2.
The Commission attaches great importance to the procurement of ‘greener products’ and on value
for money. The current supplier for this type of paper has been awarded several environmental certificates,
notably, ISO 14001, National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM) Recycled Mark, Blue Engel and
Nordic Swan.

Furthermore, the above mentioned call for tender required the contractor to include in his price not only
the supply of paper but also the provision of complementary services such as an online ordering system
via the Internet and the administration of stocks and delivery to more than 700 delivery points within
24 hours.