WRITTEN QUESTION No. 214/98 by Allan MACARTNEY to the Commission. Replacement of dry-cleaning machines and compensation
2. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 304/55 (98/C 304/76) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0214/98 by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission (11 February 1998) Subject: Replacement of dry-cleaning machines and compensation Is the Commission aware whether any steps have been taken to mitigate the costs for those dry-cleaners who have had to replace their 113 fluid machines? 113 machines are being/have been phased out, and it appears that the practice is to use distilled fluid until this runs out and them either to convert existing machines or buy new ones. The costs involved, both for converting or replacing, are substantial, particularly for small businesses. It would therefore seem equitable to have some sort of compensation or grant allowance scheme in place to prevent small dry-cleaning businesses from facing financial ruin. As this conversion is required at the behest of the EC, could the Commission confirm, with due haste, whether compensation has been or will be made available? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (24 March 1998) The Commission is not aware of any compensation or allowance schemes intended to help dry cleaners with the costs of conversion or replacement of dry cleaning machines which use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) 113. CFC 113 is an ozone-depleting substance. It is therefore subject to phasing out under the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol has now been signed by over 165 parties, each of which is thereby committed to phase out the production and consumption of all ozone-depleting substances. Under the Montreal Protocol, developed countries had to phase out their production and consumption of CFCs by 1 January 1996, except for a few essential uses such as asthma inhalers. Under Regulation (EC) No 3093/94 on substances that deplete the ozone layer (1), phasing out was one year earlier in the Community. Hence it is not the Commission which is requiring the conversion of dry cleaning machines using CFC 113. Rather the parties to the Montreal Protocol, including the Community and all its Member States, have collectively decided, as part of their commitment to ozone layer protection, that CFCs should no longer be produced and placed on the market for this use. The decision to phase out the production of CFCs was first taken in 1990 at the second meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol. The date was subsequently advanced at the fourth meeting in 1992, in view of accelerated ozone depletion and the growing availability of alternatives. For dry cleaning, the Protocolís technical committee notes that the most widely used dry cleaning solvent, perchloroethylene, has been successfully used for over 30 years and represents a likely alternative to CFC 113. Despite the availability of alternatives, there is nothing in the Montreal Protocol nor in Regulation (EC) No 3093/94 which prevents dry cleaners continuing to use recycled or stockpiled CFCs produced before the phaseout. By this means, many users throughout the Community have been able to plan their move out of CFCs in a way which avoids technical and economic difficulties, including financial ruin. (1) OJ L 333, 22. 12. 1994. (98/C 304/77) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0221/98 by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission (11 February 1998) Subject: Junk medicine A recent investigation described in the journal of the Danish Nursing Councilís periodical Sygeplejeskení has revealed that two-thirds of the medicines donated to former Yugoslavia were out- of-date or unusable. The investigation carried out by the European Organization for Health and Development concludes that medicines supplied in aid did more harm than good