WRITTEN QUESTION E-2555/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Rail travel standards.
C 330 E/20 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 (2000/C 330 E/019) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2541/99 by Mario Mantovani (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Fixing of prices of pharmaceutical products in Italy The Commission has received a series of complaints regarding the economic and social implications deriving from the fixing of the prices of pharmaceutical products allowed by the rules governing the national health service in Italy. The Commission issued a formal notice to the Italian Government in February 1996, followed by a reasoned opinion in 1998, asking Italy to bring its laws into line with European competition rules, since it considered that the criteria used for fixing the price of pharmaceutical products (in particular, Article 36 of Law No 449/97 and the CIPE decision No 10/98), allowing prices to be adjusted over an excessively long period of six years, were inappropriate. These provisions run counter to Community law, since they make it impossible under any circumstances for importers to cover the cost of products and, directly or indirectly, serve as an obstacle to imports, with the result that it is difficult to find certain basic pharmaceutical products on the Italian market. What measures will the Commission take to ensure that Italy complies with European rules on competi- tion? Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (12 January 2000) Since the Commission issued its reasoned opinion in September 1999, under the infringement procedure for the violation of Article 28 of the EC Treaty (ex Article 30) mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Italian authorities have indicated their wish for further discussions on this matter. In this context, the Commission has received a draft amendment to the regulations proposed by the Ministers concerned. The adoption of this amendment, which must be approved by various national authorities, should remove the obstacle in question, whilst maintaining the budgetary requirements behind the disputed measure, which forms an integral part of the social security system. In view of the promises made by the Italian authorities, a decision will be made as to whether this case should be brought before the Court of Justice once the final text has been received. Given that the proposed amendments have yet to be finalised, the Commission is not in a position to provide more detailed information. (2000/C 330 E/020) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2555/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Rail travel standards In view of the Commissionís responsibilities for public health within the European Union and in particular the Treaty requirements that the Community shall contribute to the attainment of a high level of consumer protection through specific action which supports and supplements the policy pursued by the Member States to protect public health, is there or should there be any minimum standard applied to the availability of toilet facilities on trains, and what is the current practice in each of the Member States? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (28 February 2000) The Commission is not aware of any legally binding standards regarding the availability of toilets in trains or wagons. However the International union of railways (UIC), via its leaflet 563 (obligatory, though not in 21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/21 full, for its members), sets standards on toilets which include a minimum of one toilet per passenger coach, or two in the case of coaches with more than 40 seats, each toilet to be equipped with a washbasin, a minimum room temperature of 20 °, the installation to follow ergonomic and aesthetic principles, a minimum size of 1,20 to 0,90 m2, a minimum distance of 500 mm between the toilet seat and the wall, and other specifications regarding the technical installations (hot water, availability of water and electricity). Given that all main railway undertakings are members of UIC, and not having heard of any difficulties in respect of the availability of toilets, the Commission does not see the need for legally binding minimum standards on a European level. (2000/C 330 E/021) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2557/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Waste recycling Would the Commission please give the latest available figures for the percentage of household waste recycled in each of the Member States? (2000/C 330 E/022) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2558/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Waste recycling incentives Would the Commission please outline the principal causes of the substantial differences which exist in the recycling of household waste, notably the existence (or otherwise) of public policy measures to encourage such recycling, and describe which are the most effective public incentives for recycling? Joint answer to Written Questions E-2557/99 and E-2558/99 given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (17 February 2000) There are many factors that influence the recycling of household waste, the most important being the efficiency of the collection system, technological know-how and the existence of a market for recyclables or recycled products. To enhance the recycling of household waste various regulatory instruments have been enacted in the Community, such as Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (1), which sets targets for the recycling of packaging waste, and Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfilling of waste (2), which sets targets for the reduction of the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste. In addition, the recycling of household waste can be encouraged by other instruments, such as market based instruments, quality standards for recycled products, integration of environmental aspects into public procurement procedures and the improvement of the image of recycled products