WRITTEN QUESTION E-1836/03 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Particulates.
Date: 2003-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, European standard, anti-pollution device, combustion gases, environmental standard, excise duty, motor vehicle, reduction of gas emissions

C 78 E/50

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

This is clearly stated in the Joint Employment Report and through the Union’s recommendations addressed
to Greece. The Commission’s view is that the reform of the Public Employment Services (PES) and the
establishment of the preventive and individualised approach (taking into account the personal char-
acteristics of the people concerned), will be a major tool in the fight against long-term unemployment.
This is also evident
‘complete the
restructuring of the public employment services and fully implement the preventive and individualised
approach, in particular for women and young people; further upgrade statistical systems so that indicators
on prevention and activation are available in good time and progress can be effectively monitored.’

in the ‘Prevention and activation’ recommendation which states,

The Greek Authorities have responded to the above recommendation, both through legislative measures to
promote the reorganisation of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) and by setting up
new Employment Promotion Centres.

the 2001 National Action Plan against poverty and social exclusion has represented an
Moreover,
important tool in the fight against poverty over the last two years (cid:1) a process which is still ongoing in the
drafting of the plan for 2003-2005. The clear link between access to the labour market and monetary
poverty will be recognised in the Joint Inclusion Report 2003: for example the common list of indicators
adopted at the Laeken European Council (14 and 15 December 2001) adopts several indicators relating to
employment status, and includes breakdowns of poverty risk by activity status. Furthermore, statistics on
poverty dynamics from the European Community Household Panel suggest
that poverty reduction
following re-integration into the labour market after a spell of unemployment (cid:1) however short (cid:1) is not
easily achieved. On average, persons who are at risk of poverty in Greece have an income which falls far
below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold.

The any-time at-risk-of-poverty rate (within the duration of the European Community Household Panel
(ECHP) 1995-2000) is 38 % for Greece which is similar to Spain, Ireland and Italy, lower than Portugal
(40 %) but higher than other Member States (EU15 average: 30 %). This does not take into account prior
lifetime exposure to poverty risk. The persistent at-risk-of-poverty measure is generally preferred to the
continuous measure to avoid the ‘windfall’ situation where the incomes of persons at risk rise just above
the threshold in one year but then fall back.

It is worth noting that the European Social Fund (ESF) is active in Greece in the area of employment and
social inclusion and finances measures aimed at the improvement of employability and the promotion of
employment for vulnerable groups, including facilitation of access to the education and health systems.

The Commission has no statistical information concerning the number of enterprises that have closed
down in Greece, how many have transferred to countries outside the Union or the total number of job
losses concerned. However, according to Eurostat, a slight increase in employment has been observed from
1995 to 2002, especially in the services sector.

Finally, in the framework of the Community Support Framework for Greece for the period 2000-2006, the
Commission finances measures to promote entrepreneurship (incentives to start-ups, training of new
entrepreneurs), and to enhance the competitiveness of Greek enterprises (actions for the technological
modernisation of existing firms).

(2004/C 78 E/0048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1836/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 June 2003)

Subject: Particulates

Given the Commission’s line, are there any plans to encourage the increased usage of biodiesel or exhaust
filters to reduce the pollution, in particular the emission of PM10 and PM2.5 particulates, from diesel
engines?

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/51

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(6 August 2003)

The Commission’s Communication on alternative fuels for road transportation and on a set of measures to
promote the use of biofuels (1), the proposal for a Parliament and Council Directive on the promotion of
the use of biofuels (2) and proposal for a Council Directive on a reduced rate of excise duty on certain
mineral oils containing biofuels and on biofuels (2) is being finalised by the institutions and provides for the
introduction of biofuels into the Community market.

Regarding diesel particulate filters, many test programmes have shown the benefits of using a diesel
particulate filter on heavy-duty vehicles and buses for reducing not only the overall mass emission of
particulate but also the very much smaller nano-particulate which are suspected of having a causal effect
on human health.

The emission standards due to take effect for new heavy-duty vehicles in 2005 and a further stage of
standards in 2008 through Directive 1999/96/EC (3) (the so-called Euro 4 and Euro 5 standards) will
require manufacturers to consider using diesel particulate filters to meet the emission standards. The
standards set performance targets that can be met by an appropriately durable technology. The diesel
particulate filter may not be the best technical solution for long distance trucks but for buses and other
vehicles operating in urban areas, the diesel particulate filter has a lot of merit. The Commission is now
considering the Euro 6 emission standards and this will focus not only on further reductions in particulate
mass (the measurement unit of today) but also on the reduction of emission of nano-particulate. New
measurement procedures for nano-particulate are being finalised with this objective in mind.

Article 3 of Directive 1999/96/EC provides the mechanism for Member States to grant fiscal incentives to
vehicles that meet future emission standards in advance of the date of their mandatory application.
Therefore, Community measures are in place to encourage the use of diesel particulate filters in the
Member States.

As far as passenger cars are concerned, in September 2002, the Commission submitted a Communication
on the taxation of cars in the Union (4). In the Communication, the Commission proposed, inter alia, to
relate vehicle taxation more directly to Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It also mentions the possibility of
add-on elements to tackle other environmental objectives, e.g. those that concern air pollution such as
particulates. The proposal is currently being discussed in the Institutions.

The same issue regarding nano-particulates applies to the next stage of Euro 5 emission limits for
passenger cars which the Commission is also now considering.

(1) COM(2001) 547 final.
(2) OJ C 103 E, 30.4.2002.
(3) Directive 1999/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on the approximation of the
laws of the member States relating to measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate
pollutants from compression ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from
positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending
Council Directive 88/77/EEC, OJ L 44, 16.2.2000.

(4) COM(2002) 431 final.

(2004/C 78 E/0049)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1867/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Average cost of capital in the euro area

(6 June 2003)

Will the Commission please estimate whether there has been a reduction in the average cost of capital in
real terms to euro-zone enterprises as a result of the introduction of the euro and the consequent growth
of the euro-denominated corporate bond market?