WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1598/98 by Allan MACARTNEY to the Commission. Taiwan spirits taxation and EC law
18. 1. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 13/51 Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (2 July 1998) Heart pace-makers on the European market must comply with the provisions of Directive 90/385/EEC of 20 June 1990 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to active implantable medical devices (1). The essential requirements of this directive specifically address the protection against the risks resulting from the influence of environmental conditions which are reasonably foreseeable and, in particular, of electromagnetic fields, including those which are emitted by electrical surveillance equipments used, for example, in department stores. In support of the implementation of this directive, a draft European standard on implantable heart pace-makers (pr EN45 502, superseding EN 50 061) has been prepared. Some requirements of this standard address the issue of the immunity of heart pace-makers to such external electromagnetic fields. However, the risks resulting from electromagnetic fields emitted by surveillance equipments cannot be completely eliminated by technical requirements applying solely to heart pace-makers. Therefore, Directive 90/385/EEC requires the manufacturer of pace-makers to provide information accompanying the pace-makers on precautions to be taken for protection against the risks of external electromagnetic interferences. Furthermore, adequate safety measures applying to electrical surveillance equipment should be considered, taking account of the risk inherent to such kind of equipment. (1) OJ L 189, 20. 7. 1990. (1999/C 13/072) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1597/98 by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission (25 May 1998) Subject: Taiwan spirits of taxation and the Scotch whisky industry Has the Commission fully assessed the potential impact that the interim tax offer for spirits with Taiwan could have on the Scotch whisky industry, given that Taiwan is the industryís ninth most important export market? (1999/C 13/073) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1598/98 by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission (25 May 1998) Subject: Taiwan spirits taxation and EC law The interim tax offer for spirits with Taiwan differentiates between Scotch/Irish whiskey and other whiskies. This difference amounts to 242 NT$/litre, discriminating in favour of the áother whiskiesí, namely those from Japan, the USA, Canada, India, Belgium and France. What are the implications of an agreement under Community law which discriminates in favour of two Member States (in this case France and Belgium) and against two others, namely the United Kingdom and Ireland?