WRITTEN QUESTION E-1782/99 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission. Transport safety.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/99 The Commission accordingly asked the scientific veterinary committee on animal welfare to make such a report. The scientific committee adopted the report on 30 September 1997 and a copy is available on Internet at the web site of the Health and consumer protection directorate general http://europa. eu. int/ comm/dg24/health/sc/oldcomm4/out17_en. html. After the adoption of the report the Commission started to work on proposals to amend Directive 91/0630/EEC in line with the new scientific evidence and the recommendations included in the report of the scientific committee. The preparation of a proposal in this field includes the consultation with different experts from Member States, from professional organizations and from the main animal welfare associations. The Commission is also requesting from Member States information on the inspections carried out on their territory following the provisions of Article 7 paragraph 3 of Council Directive 91/0630/EC. These data will have to be taken into account for the preparation of the new proposal. It should be noted that in the meantime the standing committee of the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes started the process of the revision of the recommendation on the keeping of pigs adopted in 1986. All the Member States and the Commission are parties to the Convention and are taking part in the work. The report of the Community scientific committee is actually the main basis of the preparation of the new recommendation on the keeping of pigs in the Council of Europe. Many elements of the report have been included in the draft proposal, including the keeping of sows and the provision for separate areas for the performing of different behaviour of the pigs. The next meeting of the standing committee will be held in Strasbourg during the week of 22-26 November 1999. The discussion in the standing committee of the Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, is giving the Commission important elements to prepare its own proposal of the amendment of Council Directive 91/0630/EEC, that will include the main elements on welfare protection provided by the report of the scientific committee. The draft proposal will be then submitted to the Council for approval. (2000/C 170 E/115) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1782/99 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (11 October 1999) Subject: Transport safety Concern has recently been expressed that insufficient attention is being given to important transport safety issues by other Commission directorates with key responsibilities, for example DG III which is responsible for vehicle safety legislative standards and DG XIII which runs the telematics research programme. What steps can the new Commission take to ensure that transport safety is given adequate attention in these matters and that the appropriate coordination is taking place between all directorates? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (11 November 1999) The Commission has added security standards concerning frontal and side impact that are among the most ambitious in the world to the technical rules on vehicle safety, with regard to which it has exclusive powers. The Commission is also poised to put forward a Directive aimed at reducing the consequences of accidents involving pedestrians which has no equivalent in any other country. The Communityís telematics research programmes are helping to build up a body of high-value knowledge and skills which should enable the Community and its Member States to adopt a transport safety policy that is rooted in scientific bases and solid technologies. C 170 E/100 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 Therefore the Commission does not share the views expressed by the Honourable Member. Transport safety is being dealt with as a matter of urgency while the progress made in technology or the social sciences enable resources constantly to be allocated at the various levels of responsibility for safety. It thus goes without saying that the Commission is constantly examining other potential means of improving transport safety. In this assessment process, which is complex because it has several scientific, technical, industrial, behavioural, social and economic aspects, cooperation among the Commissionís various specialist departments continues to be essential in order to guarantee the maximum long-term effectiveness of the measures adopted, proposed or recommended by the Commission. (2000/C 170 E/116) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1784/99 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (11 October 1999) Subject: Civil aviation safety When measured by time spent travelling, the passenger death risk of flying in civil aviation in the EU is higher than the risk of dying as a car occupant. It has been estimated that 40 % of all fatal civil aviation crashes are deemed to be survivable and that over 80 % of crashes occur during landing or take-off phases. Will the Commission ensure that the EU takes the steps required to reduce these risks by bring proposals forward as soon as possible on: ü a single European Safety Authority, ü a common flight-time limitations scheme which reflects scientific research on fatigue and represents best practice, ü a confidential human incident reporting scheme, ü an EU strategy for improving survivability? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (11 November 1999) The Commission has noted the statistics provided by the Honourable Member and the conclusions that he draws as regards the risk arising from civil air travel. Although many others consider aircraft to be one of the safest forms of transport the Commission recognises that the risk inherent in this mode requires particular monitoring and attention; This explains, in particular, why it has frequently taken action in this area including those instances referred to by the Honourable Member. The Commission is in the process of drawing up a draft convention on the basis of the Directives, negotiations and the procedures adopted by the Council on 16 July 1998. It has done so in connection with setting up the European Air Safety Authority. That document is currently being discussed with Member State experts. The Commission is planning to start negotiating with the other European States involved as soon as that initial drafting stage has been completed. The Commission has been working for three years on flight and rest times in conjunction with the major interested parties in order to reach a consensus. Since this has not borne fruit the Commission will now base itself on the work so far done in examining whether it is appropriate to put forward a proposal on its own initiative. For more than five years the Commission has been developing tools and procedures enabling information on human incident reporting to be acquired and exchanged. On this basis the Commission will examine