WRITTEN QUESTION P-0935/04 by Hans Kronberger (NI) to the Commission. European environment and health strategy — SCALE.
Date: 2004-03-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: child, distribution by age, environmental monitoring, health statistics, population statistics

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

In addition to the programme organised by the Dairy Council, there is a Community co-financed milk
promotion campaign currently active in United Kingdom schools organised by Dairy Industry Association
Ltd.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 of 19 December 2000 on information and promotion actions for

agricultural products on the internal market, OJ L 328, 23.12.2000.

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 94/2002 of 18 January 2002 laying down detailed rules for applying Council
Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 on information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the internal
market, OJ L 17, 19.1.2002.

(2004/C 88 E/0254)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0933/04

by John Purvis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 March 2004)

Subject: Energy from the Commonwealth of Independent States

What plans does the Commission have to improve electricity grid connections between the Common-
wealth of Independent States and the European Union?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission supports the ongoing study work by the Union for
the
Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) (cid:1) the body responsible for the co-ordination of the operation of the
continental European grid (cid:1) and its counterparts in Russia and the Newly Independent States on the
possibilities of interconnecting the integrated system of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the
EU electricity system. Interconnections with Russia and the other CIS (1) countries neighbouring the EU,
such as Ukraine, are covered by Annex III (projects of common interest) of European Parliament and
Council Decision 1229/2003/EC of 26 June 2003 laying down a series of guidelines for trans-European
energy networks and repealing Decision No 1254/96/EC (2), and are therefore eligible for possible financial
aid.

the Co-ordination of

However, a clear pre-condition to the integration of the EU electricity market and those of neighbouring
in terms of market and environmental standards,
countries is the existence of a level playing field,
including nuclear safety.

(1) Community of Independent States.
(2) OJ L 176, 15.7.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0255)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0935/04

by Hans Kronberger (NI) to the Commission

(22 March 2004)

Subject: European environment and health strategy (cid:1) SCALE

Early last summer, the Commission launched the European environment and health strategy (SCALE).

In its press release (IP/03/823) of 11 June 2003, the Commission describes the five key elements of the
strategy. The second of these is ‘children’, as they are particularly susceptible to environmental agents. In
this connection the Commission claims that 157 million children in Europe are suffering from special
environment-related problems.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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in 1998 less than 20 % of the
fifteen: key figures’, 2000 edition,
According to ‘A Community of
population of the EU consisted of children aged from 0 to 14. Assuming the population of the EU to be
around 370 million, the population would include 74 million children under 15 at the absolute maximum.
Even if one allows for the increase in the EU’s population due to enlargement, it would hardly be possible
to arrive at a figure of 157 million children in Europe.

The Commission:

1. What criteria did it use to arrive at the figure of 157 million children in Europe?

2. Could the figure quoted by the Commission be due to a misprint?

3.

If so, how many children are really suffering from environment-related problems in Europe?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

1.
The Commission has quoted the figure of 157 million children in Europe based on the United
Nations (UN) Population Data Base as no data was available from Directorate-General Eurostat at this
stage. The figure refers to the population of children aged 0-15 in Europe in 2000. The figure, however,
refers to the total number of children inhabiting Europe and not to the number of children suffering from
environmentally-related diseases.

The figure quoted by the Commission is not due to a misprint. The relevant reference website is:

2.
(www.un.org/popin/data.html).

3.
At this stage, the Commission does not have reliable figures on how many children are suffering
from diseases related to the environment across Europe. It has been estimated that up to one fifth of the
total burden of disease in industrialised countries can be attributed to environmental factors (1). In this
respect, children are an important target group as they are particularly vulnerable to environmental
hazards. One important development in this context is the significant increase in childhood asthma
observed in developed western societies to levels where around 10 % of children are suffering from
asthmatic symptoms. The environment and health monitoring work to be developed as a key priority of
the EU Environment and health strategy will make it possible to develop specific estimates on the numbers
of children affected by diseases related to the environment.

(1) How much global ill health is attributable to environmental factors?, K. R. Smith et al, Epidemiology 1999.

(2004/C 88 E/0256)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0938/04

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

(26 March 2004)

Subject: Religious minorities in Gujarat

Following the Commission’s answer of 15 May 2003 to question E-1417/03 (1) tabled by myself and other
MEPs on 9 April 2003, there has been scarcely any improvement in the situation in Gujarat with regard to
bringing to justice the perpetrators of the February 2002 massacre and rehabilitation of the victims and/or
their relatives. In November 2003 Amnesty International again reported the illegal detention of Moslems in
Gujarat. Before this there was a Human Rights Watch report on threats to human rights activists in
Gujarat. AWAAZ South Asia Watch recently concluded in its report ‘In Bad Faith? British Charity and
Hindu Extremism’ that umbrella organisations of the Hindu extremist RSS had raised millions of pounds
from the British public under false pretences and was channelling it to organisations involved in large-scale
violence and incitement
there have been various reports of
discrimination against Muslims in employment.

to hatred against minorities. Finally,