WRITTEN QUESTION E-2769/03 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor examinations.
Date: 2003-09-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United Kingdom, examination, maritime transport, self-employed person, transport of dangerous goods, transport safety, vocational training

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/163

The CAP is evolving towards a differentiation in legislative discipline in the light of the clear differences in
social and economic development between the Union’s regions and the impending enlargement towards
the countries of central and eastern Europe.

At its meeting of 8 July 2003 the Wine Management Committee looked into the possibility of amending
Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 (1) concerning the amount of aid to be granted for the use of concentrated
musts (CMs) and rectified concentrated musts (RCMs).

Would the Commission therefore say

(cid:1) what measures have been taken to ensure that levels of aid for the use of CMs and RCMs vary

according to the geographical, economic and social features of each European region?

(cid:1) what provisions will be adopted, including those under Article 158 of the EC Treaty, specifically to
support Sicilian wine production, which is facing additional costs because of the insular nature of its
region?

(1) OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 45.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2003)

The first of the Honourable Members’ questions relates to the common organisation of the wine market
under which aid is granted on concentrated grape must used to increase the alcoholic strength of wine. In
fact since the aid was introduced in 1982 it has been differentiated by the origin of the must. In general
the aid rates for musts of wine-growing zone CIII, which includes Sicily, are higher than those for must
originating in the other zones. There is a very restricted waiver for certain musts from zones other than
C III produced under particular conditions.

Nonetheless, given the general reorientation of the common agricultural policy to which the Honourable
Members allude that has occurred since the measure was introduced, the Commission is planning a
thorough assessment of all features of this aid.

The Honourable Members’ second question relates to the economic and social cohesion policy, under
which the wine sector can be aided from the Community Structural Funds, in this case the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Guarantee Section. For the period 2000-2006 the sector can
be aided through the Sicilia Regional Operational Programme. The relevant measures covered those
covering farm-level
investments (4.06) processing and marketing of agricultural products (4.09) and
marketing of high quality agricultural products (4.13).

Decisions on future measures will be taken in partnership with the Commission, with the monitoring
committee for the regional operational programme closely involved.

(2004/C 78 E/0168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2769/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 September 2003)

Subject: Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor examinations

1.
Can the Commission confirm that a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) in the UK is currently
only required to be qualified and examined on ADR/RID (transportation of dangerous goods by road/rail),
and not the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, even if the DGSA is advising on the
transportation of dangerous goods going by sea?

C 78 E/164

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

If so, is the Commission satisfied that organisations transporting dangerous goods by sea can employ

2.
DGSAs who have no training or qualification in sea transport?

Does the Commission intend to propose amendments to the current Directive to ensure DGSAs have

3.
a compulsory examination in IMDG Code or an appropriate equivalent?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 October 2003)

According to ADR, RID and Directives 96/35/EC (1) and 2000/18/EC (2), the safety advisers in the United
Kingdom have to have undergone training and passed examination,
in order to have a vocational
certificate, valid for the mode or modes of transport concerned. The scope of the Directives above is the
transport of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterway (referring to ADN). In other words, the
scope does not cover the maritime transport (cid:1) consequently the scope of the safety adviser’s training and
certificate neither.

There is no need to extend the field of a safety adviser, authorised on the basis of ADR/RID/ADN (or
Directives 96/35/EC and 2000/18/EC), to maritime transport. Specific rules laid down in the IMDG Code
are applicable to maritime transport of dangerous goods. In addition, under the International Safety
Management code (ISM Code), which is world-wide mandatory for all types of ships operating on
international voyages, it is the responsibility of the company responsible for the ship to engage competent
personnel to ensure that the appropriate safety and environmental protection policy is implemented and
maintained at all levels of the company both for its ship-based and shore-based activities.

The scope of ADR/RID/ADN and of its regular updating machinery in the auspices of United Nations (cid:1)
Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) is clearly limited to the transport of dangerous goods by road,
rail and inland waterway only. Since the scope of Directives 96/35/EC and 2000/18/EC,
in terms of
transport mode, focuses on the one of ADR/RID/ADN, it is not advisable to amend these Directives out-of-
scope. In contrast, it could be considered, whether some kind of horizontal approach could be found for
the safety advising function of the transport of dangerous goods in all four transport modes: by road, rail,
inland waterway and maritime.

(1) Council Directive 96/35/EC of 3 June 1996 on the appointment and vocational qualification of safety advisers for

the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterway, OJ L 145, 19.6.1996, p. 10-15.

(2) Directive 2000/18/EC of

the Council of 17 April 2000 on minimum examination
requirements for safety advisers for the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail or inland waterway, OJ L 118,
19.5.2000, p. 41-43.

the Parliament and of

(2004/C 78 E/0169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2770/03

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(16 September 2003)

Subject: Personal injury awards

The Commission will be aware of the significant disparities that can exist between personal injury awards
for identical circumstances between Member States of the European Union.

Could the Commission inform me of any plans it may have to introduce measures to help ease this
problem?