WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3424/98 by Karin RIIS-JØRGENSEN to the Commission. Implementation of the Machinery Directive
21. 7. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 207/67 Joint answer to Written Questions E-3421/98, E-3447/98, E-3448/98 and E-3449/98 given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (13 January 1999) The strategy set out in the Commission’s communication on the action plan concerning the competitiveness of the textile and clothing industry forms part of the supportivel aspect of industrial policy. Against this backdrop the Commission is currently putting the final touches to a management chart whose main purpose will be to identify specific activities which can support any action by economic operators in the textile and clothing industry that is able to prompt better utilisation of the opportunities offered by the Structural Funds, the research and development (R&D) programmes and the programmes intended for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). In view of the research being carried out, more particularly on new working methods, electronic commerce and the use of multimedia tools (34 % of the funds available) a substantial part of the future framework R&D programme put forward by the Commission is devoted to support for innovation. The part concerning the key ‘Innovative industrial products, processes and organisations’ project will absorb roughly 4 % of the budget for the framework programme. In addition the Commission has stated that 10 % of the budget for the framework programme would be allocated to SMBs. In cooperation with the major economic operators the Commission has identified a number of projects, under the action plan, which may be funded via the future framework programme. The Commission is closely monitoring developments in the economic situation in the South-East Asian countries. The industry concerned had considered that area to be a promising market for textile and clothing products. This is illustrated by its growing prominence in the sales abroad of European textile and clothing products. According to the analyses conducted by the Commission the Asian crisis will have an impact on the foreign trade in those products, above all in up-and mid-market products. Since the funds available are limlited the Commission does not intend to carry out a study in this area, but it is keeping a close eye on the developments taking place. The action plan put forward by the Commission has enabled it to identify a certain number of areas to be given preference. These should inspire action by those involved in this industry, namely companies, trade associations and the trade unions, and also the national public authorities and those of the Community. The dialogue begun with both sides of this industry has enabled the Commission to conclude that the intended action is likely to receive financial support under existing financial programmes and instruments, including the action launched at the Luxembourg European Council in November 1997. (1999/C 207/087) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3424/98 by Karin Riis-Jørgensen (ELDR) to the Commission (24 November 1998) Subject: Implementation of the Machinery Directive The EU Machinery Directive was adopted about nine years ago, but surveys reveal that little more than 200 of the approximately 900 standards for machinery have been adopted. Commission surveys also show that, in general, two thirds of the approximately 2 900 technical standards have not yet been approved and that, on average, it takes six years and three months to draw up a CEN standard. Will the Commission, in such a vast and important sector of trade in the EU as machinery, be able to make additional efforts, speedily and effectively, given that only about one quarter of the standards for which the Machinery Directive provides have been finalised? Will it also explain what specific action it intends to take in order to step up the pace of standardisation generally, so as to reduce the average time needed for the adoption of standards? Has it given any thought to how in future, even when all the standards have been finalised, it will be possible to ensure that the goods concerned may bought and sold without checks being duplicated and in accordance with internal market rules, so that Member States and regions cannot keep invoking special circumstances and thus obtain derogations from the EU rules that have been adopted and are in force?