WRITTEN QUESTION E-2056/03 by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission. Ethylene.
Date: 2003-06-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air quality, degree of pollution, organic chemical, pollution control, prevention of pollution

C 78 E/72

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to cosmetic products (1) does not restrict the use of essential oils as such in cosmetic products but
requests the labelling of certain substances if they are present in cosmetic products above certain levels.

For the use of flavourings and food ingredients with flavouring properties (e.g. herbs and spices) in and on
foods, Community legislation follows a different approach in order to protect human health. The
Framework Directive 88/388/EEC on flavourings (2) prohibits the addition of substances as such to foods if
they raise toxicological concern. For their unavoidable presence in flavoured/spiced foods due to their
natural occurrence in plants, like common herbs, the Directive sets maximum levels. Essential oils fall
under the definition of ‘flavouring preparations’ to which the limits for these substances also apply. Given
this strict approach, Directive 2000/13/EC (3) does not request the labelling of specific names of substances,
but requires to inform consumers about the presence of flavourings in food by the term ‘flavouring’.

At the request of the Commission, the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) has evaluated a number of such
naturally occurring substances during the past two years. The opinions are available from the web site
‘Flavourings’ of the Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/
fs/sfp/addit_flavor/flavourings/index_en.html).

On the basis of these opinions, the Commission is currently elaborating an update of the list of naturally
occurring substances which should not be added as such to foods as well as an update of their maximum
levels in foods. This update will be part of a proposal for a new framework regulation on flavourings
which should replace Directive 88/388/EEC.

(1) OJ L 262, 27.9.1976.
(2) Council Directive 88/388/EEC of 22 June 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to

flavourings for use in foodstuffs and to source materials for their production, OJ L 184, 15.7.1988.

(3) Directive 2000/13/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of

the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.

(2004/C 78 E/0071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2056/03

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(20 June 2003)

Subject: Ethylene

Ethylene is one of the volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere through incineration
processes, by the petrochemicals industry, road transport and through the burning of timber, etc. However,
it is also a natural plant hormone involved in the maturing of plants and causes, inter alia, fruit to ripen,
leaves to fall, dormant periods to cease and flower parts to mature, and it is physiologically active in very
low concentrations (0,01-0,1 ppm). In its role as a plant hormone, ethylene is the most important VOC
which has a direct effect on plants. Accordingly, even minimal pollution with this hormone has (or may
have) serious consequences for various plants and agricultural crops. In various locations, ethylene has
been shown to be present in much higher concentrations than the values regarded in scientific literature as
normal ambient concentrations. Nevertheless, with regard to ethylene, no critical level has, to date, been
laid down for exposure of vegetation to such compounds, nor any specific emission standards for ethylene
which might restrict excessive emissions from point sources. A farmer whose crops have been damaged by
ethylene has no opportunity to claim compensation, since no norms or critical values have been
established.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/73

Can the Commission confirm that, since the 1970s, average values of ethylene in the atmosphere

1.
have increased from some 5 ppb to 30-50 ppb?

2.
Does the Commission have any emission data for ethylene and measurements of ethylene in the
ambient air which give a clear picture of the order of magnitude and the breadth of this problem in
Europe, of the differences between rural and urban areas and of the possible peak values in certain areas,
such as in the vicinity of petrochemical plants or other emission sources?

3.
Does the Commission intend to initiate a more targeted programme for monitoring ethylene, lay
down a critical threshold value, take specific measures and establish standards for industrial processes,
possibly doing so as part of the review of the Clean Air For Europe Programme (CAFE) in 2004?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(29 July 2003)

Alongside its role as a plant hormone and the possible consequent effects of ambient levels on vegetation,
ethylene (ethene) is one of the substances known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which favour the
formation of ozone pollution. It is therefore covered by emission controls aimed at reducing VOCs,
although standards are based on a weighted average based on photo-oxidisation potential, rather than
being specifically targeted at individual substances.

Community legislation provides a mechanism for Member States to exchange data on air quality, but data
exchange on ethylene (ethene) concentrations is not mandatory and almost no data has been exchanged so
far. For this reason the Commission can neither confirm nor contradict the figures quoted by the
Honourable Member concerning average values of ethylene in the atmosphere. This situation may improve
in the future as a result of the Directive 2002/3/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 12 February
2002 relating to ozone in ambient air (1), which requires Member States to set up ambient air monitoring
stations for volatile organic compounds as ozone precursors. Ethylene is one of
the substances
recommended to be monitored in this context.

The picture is similar as regards emission data, since Member States generally report emissions of volatile
organic compounds as a whole, rather than substance by substance.

At the moment the Commission is not aware of any convincing evidence that current levels of ethylene in
the atmosphere give rise to significant effects on vegetation, and there is, consequently, no current
intention to initiate a more targeted monitoring programme.

(1) OJ L 67, 9.3.2002.

(2004/C 78 E/0072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2059/03

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(20 June 2003)

Subject: One-year delay by the Spanish government in extracting fuel oil from the wreck of the ‘Prestige’

off the Galician coast

The Spanish government has just stated that the extraction operations (entrusted to the Repsol company)
for the 35 000 tonnes of fuel oil that still have to be removed from the wreck of the ‘Prestige’ off the
Galician coast will be delayed for a year, i.e. until spring 2004. This serious delay contradicts the Spanish
government’s earlier promises, and will increase the risks generated by the presence of the wreck at almost
4 000 metres underwater.

The Commission has declared that the presence of this vessel, still with one-half of its original load, is a
matter of European concern, and has expressed its willingness to cooperate with the Spanish government
to deal with the problem.