WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2050/98 by Rijk van DAM to the Commission. Extension of the 'old for new' scheme
8. 4. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 96/29 (1999/C 96/039) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2050/98 by Rijk van Dam (I-EDN) to the Commission (30 June 1998) Subject: Extension of the áold for newí scheme At the meeting of the Committee on Transport and Tourism in Brussels on 18 to 20 May 1998 a representative of the Commission said, in response to a question by the author, that Directorate-General VII had adopted internally a proposal for extending the áold for newí scheme for inland waterways set up pursuant to regulation 1101/89 (1) and extended pursuant to regulation 844/94 (2). If the Commission adopts this proposal the cooperation procedure pursuant to Article 189c of the Treaty can begin in September 1998 at the earliest. Given the amount of time this procedure takes, it is doubtful whether the áold for newí scheme can be extended on time, i. e. before 28 April 1999. What action does the Commission think needs to be taken in the unlikely event of the áold for newí scheme for inland waterways not entering into force on or before 28 April 1999? (1) OJ L 116, 28. 4. 1989, p. 25. (2) OJ L 98, 16. 4. 1994, p. 1. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (27 July 1998) The Commission is preparing a proposal to extend the áold for newí regime for a limited period of five years and to reduce gradually the old for new ratio to zero during this period. After that, this regulatory mechanism would function as a monitoring mechanism to be used only in the event of a serious disturbance in the inland waterway market. The Commission trusts that the importance of the issue will ensure the close cooperation between the institutions that will make it possible to put the new legislation in place upon the expiry of the existing legislation. (1999/C 96/040) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2051/98 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission (30 June 1998) Subject: Radioactive gas emission from the Acerinox factory, Cadiz, Spain On 9 June 1998 the Acerinox steel factory informed the Spanish Council for Nuclear Security that radioactive gas had escaped from one of its melting furnaces, although radioactive contamination had already been detected in the smoke filtering system on 2 June. The apparent origin of the contamination was the presence of radioactive waste containing Cesium-137 in the scrap iron feeding the melting furnaces of the factory. Surprisingly, local authorities and public opinion were not informed until 12 June. The radioactive contamination has not only affected the surrounding area, but also other countries, including France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany, where an unusually high level of Cesium-137 had been detected by their national nuclear authorities and by the International Atomic Energy Agency since 25 May 1998! In fact, the contaminated melting furnace had been kept working several days after the event and contaminated steel, ash and other remnants have been produced. This ash and these remnants may have been dumped at the site of El Cobre, Algeciras, where ash from this factory is normally dumped. This site is not suitable for receiving radioactive materials. Moreover, no emergency plan was put into action after the accident in the factory. The environmental organization Agaden has sent a claim to the Commission concerning this event on 14 June 1998. Does the Acerinox factory receive financial aid from the European Union? If so, will this aid be suspended until it has been established who is responsible and environmental measures have been taken? Does the Commission intend to investigate whether the Spanish authorities have failed in applying those EU Directives preventing damage to the environment as well as on human health, for instance the EIA Directive 85/337/EEC (1) and the basic radiation standards Directive 84/467/Euratom?