WRITTEN QUESTION E-1323/03 by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission. Consequences of Pressure Equipment Directive on small boiler manufacturers.
Date: 2003-04-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, EC conformity marking, application of EU law, boiler, cessation of trading, craft business, pressure equipment, safety standard, technical regulations, vehicle on rails

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.

21.11.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 280 E/131

What steps has the Commission taken to ensure that this world leading industry is not forced into
extinction due to a directive about which it was not properly consulted?

Will the Commission look favourably upon an application for these craftsmen and women to be granted a
de minimis exemption from this directive?

(1) OJ L 181, 9.7.1997, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2003)

The Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC (PED) has been adopted in 1997 after intense consultations
with Member States, the Parliament and industry and has to be applied in all Member States since May
2002. It lays down harmonised rules concerning the essential requirements and certification procedures for
pressure equipment to be placed on the market or put into service with regard to the safety risk arising
laws by a unique European legislation, thereby
from pressure and replaces former manifold national
simplifying cross-border procedures and reducing cost. This is particularly true for small manufacturers
having little administrative resources and for manufacturers, which are export-oriented due to the
uniqueness and the high quality of their products. The Commission recognises that the adaptation to the
requirements of the PED implies some initial investment for manufactures, which however has been kept
as low as possible due to a sufficiently long ‘notice’ period of five years.

The main objective of the PED is to minimise and control safety risks for the citizen. Existing exemptions
of certain products (e.g. products of small dimensions) or products used under certain conditions (e.g.
experimentation, presentation at exhibitions) from the PED are justified, since the associated safety risks are
minor, covered by some more specific regulations or well-controlled due to the special circumstances.

An exemption from the PED based on the (small) size of the manufacturer or the ‘uniqueness’ of a product
would not be adequate, because these criteria are not related to its safety risk. The dangerous potential
created by a copper boiler is not diminished if it is ‘unique’ or produced by a small manufacturer.
Therefore, the Commission does not look favourably upon a ‘de minimis’ exemption from the PED.

(2003/C 280 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1324/03

by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission

(8 April 2003)

Subject: Statement by Mr Gómez-Reino on the resignation of the Santer Commission

In the ‘European Voice’ of 27 March (cid:1) 2 April in an article by David Cronin, Mr Santiago Gómez-Reino is
quoted as saying that Jacques Santer and his Commission stepped down due to fraud allegations that were
‘disproportionate, completely unjust and for a large part simply non-existent’.

Does the current Commission agree with the statement by Mr Santiago Gómez-Reino?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2003)

The Commission would refer
Mr Dell’Alba (1)

(1) See page 83.

the Honourable Member

to its answer

to written E-0749/03 by