WRITTEN QUESTION E-2379/99 by Françoise Grossetête (PPE-DE) to the Council. UN/ECE Regulations R 108 and R 109.
C 219 E/152 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (17 December 1999) The Council has established the method for the calculation of the ewe premium, which is based on the difference between the Community average price and the basic price, and has fixed the amount payable for the rural world supplement. An alternative method could not be used without a fundamental reform of the sheep regime. To exclude sheep from the calculation for the extensification premium would create a disparity between producers. A beef-only farm should clearly be considered as having a lower stocking density than a mixed farm with the same number of beef cattle where sheep are also kept. In the World trade organisation (WTO) negotiations the Community is committed to a balanced and fair liberalisation of trade but also to the promotion of a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector. An obligation to label imports cannot be imposed without there being a similar requirement for Community produced lamb. The Commission has no plans at this stage to introduce a sheep meat-labelling scheme. (2000/C 219 E/193) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2379/99 by Françoise GrossetŒte (PPE-DE) to the Council (13 December 1999) Subject: UN/ECE Regulations R 108 and R 109 The controlled use of natural resources is a vital component of sustainable development and the EUís waste management strategy gives priority to prevention, and where that is impossible to recycling, re-use and recovery. The development of a high-quality European tyre retread and remould industry would allow such tyres to be re-used and would reduce non-renewable raw material consumption while ensuring high safety levels for consumers. At present the quality of retread and remould tyres on the Single Market varies widely and these disparities help cast doubt on their reliability, thus depriving the consumer of some of the aforementioned benefits. The aim of international regulations UNO/ECE R 108 and R 109 is to improve the quality of remould and retread tyres. In view of the Commissionís answer to Question 68/H-0114/99 (1), could the Council state its position on the early accession of the EU to these two Regulations? (1) Debates of the European Parliament (March 1999). Reply (31 January 2000) As indicated in the Honourable Memberís question, the aim of international Regulations UNO/ECE R 108 and R 109 is to improve the quality of remould and retread tyres. At present, Community legislation does not cover remould and retread tyres. Council Directive 92/23/EEC relating to tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers and to their fitting applies to any new pneumatic tyre designed for the equipment of vehicles to which Directive 70/156/EEC applies. At this stage, the Commission has not forwarded to the Council either a proposal for Community legislation on remould and retread tyres or initiatives which could enable the issue of the Communityís accession to Regulations R 108 and R 109 to be examined