WRITTEN QUESTION E-1818/03 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Particulates.
Date: 2003-06-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air quality, environmental monitoring, environmental standard, evaluation method, pollution control, road network

C 51 E/144

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

Does the Commission consider this to be a priority project in the context of the trans-European energy
networks? Does it intend that it should be cofinanced?

Does the Commission believe this project to be compatible with the promotion of sustainable development
(as one of the pillars of the Lisbon process) or the policy of promoting alternative energy sources?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2003)

The electrical power line in northern Catalonia must be seen in the context of strengthening the electrical
interconnection capacity between France and Spain. In this respect, the Commission would point out that
the proposed new interconnection between France and Spain is one of the priority energy network
projects agreed upon at the Essen Summit back in 1994.

The need for the overland electricity link between the grids of the two countries across south-western
France and northern Spain was confirmed in 1996 by the adoption of the guidelines for the trans-
European energy networks.

On 4 June 2003, Parliament approved the revision of these guidelines on the second reading. Among the
priority links for the energy networks, the revision provides for the EL3 link, which is concerned with
strengthening electrical interconnection capacity between France, Spain and Portugal.

In addition, according to these revised guidelines the following projects are specifically included among the
projects of common interest (in Annex III):

(cid:1) 2.8. New interconnection across the Pyrenees between France and Spain;

(cid:1) 2.9. Connection across the western Pyrenees between France and Spain.

In conclusion, it is absolutely clear that a plan for a power line linking France and Spain through northern
Catalonia is a priority project within the meaning of the trans-European networks policy.

A project of this kind is also in line with the Lisbon Process since it resolve the problem of a major
in electricity between the Iberian
bottleneck by allowing more competition in the internal market
Peninsula and the rest of the Union.

A project of this kind is not an obstacle to the promotion of renewable energy since any substantial
increase in electricity from wind power in Spain has to be backed up by a properly developed transmission
grid, in particular to make up for any temporary but unforeseeable losses of wind power.

Finally, the Commission would point out that several activities relating to electricity interconnections
between France and Spain have received funding since 1995 in the framework of the Regulation on
financial support for the trans-European networks, in particular technical and environmental studies for
the interconnection project between France and Spain across the western Pyrenees. For the latter project,
funding of nearly EUR 400 000 was agreed upon in 2000.

(2004/C 51 E/159)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1818/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(2 June 2003)

Subject: Particulates

Will the Commission state whether there is a European framework for the assessment of air pollution near
to roads, and if so what it is? Will it further describe the principal limits for the substances regarded as
most damaging to health? What is the process of testing and assessment of compliance with such limits?
What plans if any does the Commission have to revise such limits in the light of recent scientific research?

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Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 2003)

The current framework for assessing air pollution is the Framework Directive 96/62/EC (Council Directive
96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assessment and management (1)), which provides
for the monitoring of a range of air pollutants and foresees the adoption of limit values. Limit values have
been adopted for a range of key pollutants (Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 relating to
limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in
ambient air (2), and Directive 2000/69/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2000
relating to limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air (3)); together with a target value
for ozone (Directive 2002/3/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2002 relating to
ozone in ambient air (4)). A further Directive is foreseen covering the remaining pollutants listed in the
Framework Directive (polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals). All
limit and target values apply
everywhere in the ambient air, including road-sides. Each Directive contains provisions relating to the
quality of monitoring systems, and reporting procedures to verify compliance with the limit values. The
Directives are being reviewed in the context of the Clean Air for Europe programme, which will lead to a
thematic strategy on air pollution as foreseen in the Sixth Environmental Action Programme.

Further
development of
environment/air/).

information concerning the Community’s air quality policy, both existing legislation and
further policy, can be found on the Europa web-site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/

(1) OJ L 296, 21.11.1996.
(2) OJ L 163, 29.6.1999.
(3) OJ L 313, 13.12.2000.
(4) OJ L 67, 9.3.2002.

(2004/C 51 E/160)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1819/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(2 June 2003)

Subject: Sausage meat

Would the Commission briefly describe the regulations that determine the content of sausages? When were
they last revised? What new evidence if any was taken into account in the wake of BSE and other health
problems? Does the Commission have any plans or proposals to revise the regulations again?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(7 July 2003)

There are at present no Community regulations determining the content of sausages and the Commission
has no plans to put forward a proposal in this regard. The Commission is aware, however, that certain
Member States have national rules governing the content of sausages marketed in their territory. It should
be noted, however, that in the framework of the Common Market Organisation for Pigmeat quality criteria
for the export of certain sausages for which an export refund is granted are laid down in Commission
Regulation (EC) No 2331/97 of 25 November 1997 on special conditions for granting export refunds on
certain pigmeat products (1). These criteria concern the animal protein by weight, the extraneous water
content by weight and the collagen/protein ratio of the eligible products falling under CN-code 1601.

In relation to hygienic production of sausage meat and sausages, the meat used in sausage meat must fully
comply with current Community rules, in particular, with rules on meat hygiene and bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE). Fresh sausage and sausage meat must meet the relevant harmonised rules for
minced meat and meat preparations. This includes the carrying out of checks on raw materials entering the
establishment to ensure compliance with certain composition (fat content, collagen meat protein ratio) and