WRITTEN QUESTION E-3642/03 by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission. Eurobarometer poll.
Date: 2003-12-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, international security, opinion poll, peace, public opinion, social survey

C 78 E/306

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 2004)

Directive 1999/96/EC (1) introduced new emission requirements for new heavy-duty vehicles in two stages.
The Euro 4 stage, due to be mandatory from October 2006 for all new heavy-duty vehicles, will lower the
emissions of Nitrogen oxides (NOX) by some 30 % over the present legal requirements while the emission
of particulates will be lowered by some 80 %. A second mandatory stage (Euro 5) will apply to all new
heavy-duty vehicles from October 2009 and this will result in a lowering of NOX by a total of 60 % over
the Commission is investigating a further stage of emission
the present
reductions for new heavy-duty vehicles (Euro 6 in the timeframe 2012-2013), concentrating on the
primary pollutants NOX and particulates.

legal requirements. Now,

In addition, the Commission is also investigating a further stage of emission reductions for new passenger
cars and light commercial vehicles (Euro 5 in the timeframe 2010), also concentrating on the primary
pollutants NOX and particulates.

With respect to improving vehicle performance in the road-haulage industry, stricter checks of emissions
are being supplemented by the introduction of new technical measures for on-board diagnostic (OBD)
systems on heavy-duty vehicles. OBD is to be a part of the Euro 4 stage from 2006. OBD will monitor
non-compliance of emissions in real-time and inform the driver and repair garage if there is a problem
with the emission control systems that needs attention.

The Commission is also working on a new method for checking the in-use conformity of heavy-duty
vehicles in service through the use of portable emission monitoring systems (PEMS) which will supplement
the technical measures of the Euro 4 stage.

Older heavy-duty vehicles used in the road haulage industry can be retro-fitted with filters to reduce the
emissions of particulates. However, retro-fitting is not dealt with at a European level but rather at a
national or local level, usually encouraged through fiscal incentives. Such filters show an immediate and
drastic cut in emissions of exhaust particulates.

(1) 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.

(2004/C 78 E/0308)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3642/03

by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject: Eurobarometer poll

Can the Commission explain the reasoning behind section 2.2 of the latest Eurobarometer Flash Survey
(No 151) in which respondents were asked whether or not they consider certain countries to pose a threat
to world peace?

What is the purpose of this section given that evaluating perceptions of future threats to world peace is
not mentioned as one of the underlying objectives of the survey and also that the responses are not even
mentioned in the conclusion of the Flash Survey?

Can the Commission explain how the countries featuring in this survey were selected, and what steps will
be taken to ensure that the methodology of any similar future exercise is improved?

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/307

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2003)

The Commission would refer
Mrs Muscardini (1)

(1) See page 263.

the Honourable Member

to its answer

to written P-3334/03 by

(2004/C 78 E/0309)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3658/03

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject: Ban Bullying Day (cid:1) future action

Given that bullying at work is an increasing problem for workers in many Member States, the trade union
Amicus has for the past ten years been campaigning and seeking legislation in the UK and Ireland to
protect workers from the various forms of ill-treatment which constitute bullying. I believe that the
decision of Amicus and several other organisations in the United Kingdom to declare Thursday,
16 October 2003 (during European Safety Week) Ban Bullying Day was a step in the right direction.

Will the Commission investigate the extent of the problem of workplace bullying across the EU and the
existence of legal and other protective measures in the various Member States with a view to bringing
forward a report and proposals for action, taking into particular consideration the views of Amicus and
the European Agency on Safety and Health, reporting back to Parliament with a timetable for action?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2004)

In its communication ‘Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and
safety at work 2002-2006’ (1), the Commission announced that it would ‘examine the appropriateness and
the scope of a Community instrument on psychological harassment and violence at work’.

The Commission is at present gathering and reviewing the information available in this field. This review
covers, among other things, the legislative initiatives and/or rules adopted or envisaged in the Member
States.

Against that background, Parliament’s resolution on harassment at the workplace (2) and the opinion
adopted on violence at work by the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at
Work (3), plus the information available through the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work, will
also be taken into account. The Commission will also be mindful of specific experience in the area of
violence at work, such as that mentioned in your written question.

Using the above as a basis, the Commission plans to consult the social partners in the course of 2004 on
the possible direction of Community action in this field. Such consultation was included in the
Commission’s work programme for 2004 (4).

The Commission considers that bullying, harassment and intimidation are specific instances of violence at
the workplace. In principle, it is planned that the consultation of the social partners will cover all forms of
violence which could affect workers’ health, physical and psychological integrity, and dignity.

(1) COM(2002) 118 final.
(2) A5-0283/2001 du 19.9.2001.
(3) COM(2003) 346 final.
(4) COM(2003) 645final.