WRITTEN QUESTION E-1302/03 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission. Let me tell you a secret about the environment — Publication ISBN 92-894-3866-5.
Date: 2003-04-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU publication, child, environmental policy, greenhouse effect, ozone, public awareness campaign, waste management

C 280 E/130

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

(2003/C 280 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1302/03

by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission

(7 April 2003)

Subject:

‘Let me tell you a secret about the environment’ (cid:1) Publication ISBN 92-894-3866-5

Can the Commission say which age group the publication is targeted at? Can it also say whether the level
of language and vocabulary in the text has been approved as appropriate for that age group, if so by
whom? Can the Commission say whether the book has been examined by an educational psychologist and
whether the content/storyline has been approved by such a professional as suitable for the targeted age
group?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2003)

The publication the Honourable Member is referring to, ‘Let me tell you a secret about the environment’,
has been produced within the Environment Directorate General (DG) in co-operation with the Press and
Communications DG.

The message is about three environmental problems requiring our urgent attention: the proliferation of
waste, the destruction of the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect. The story is targeting children between
six and ten years of age and has been written in Belgium by a specialist in children’s literature who has
published several booklets in this field. As part of the preparations, a test group of children (six to ten
years old) chose this story among three as their favourite one.

When addressing children, messages have to be simplified and symbols and feelings have to be used to get
messages across.

The Commission has also followed the advice on how to address children, expressed in the work of RETZ
‘Pedagogy and the Environment’:

(cid:1) to make them think and ask questions about the world around them;

(cid:1) to extend their thoughts to different environments, near and far;

(cid:1) to encourage their desire to understand and to learn more (about their environment) so that they will

feel responsible for a part of the planet;

(cid:1) to help them observe better, implement actions, anticipate, explain and respect the global environ-

ment.

Numerous spontaneous letters and requests from teachers all over Europe confirm the success of the story
for children in primary schools. As a further example ‘Kindergarten Times’ offered to deliver the booklet
together with their magazine as they felt it to be of importance to parents. The Commission is, therefore,
convinced that the publication is suitable for the targeted age group.

(2003/C 280 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1323/03

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 April 2003)

Subject: Consequences of Pressure Equipment Directive on small boiler manufacturers

Is the Commission aware that the implementation of the Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC (1) will
devastate Britain’s copper-boiler-making industry?

The seven professional boilermakers who export their handcrafted copper boilers for use in model steam
engines across the world are faced with going out of business due to the prohibitive costs of complying
with the directive. While the directive exempts amateur boilermakers and those building for ‘heritage’
steam engines, such small but important and unique craftsmen and women have no other choice but to
give up.