WRITTEN QUESTION E-1259/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Imports of environmentally friendly cars.
18. 4. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 113 E/5 The reduction of animal herds is not, however, eligible for Community financing if the number of animals on the farm exceeds the limit set by Directive 91/676/EEC. In vulnerable zones this corresponds, per hectare, to an amount of manure containing 170 kg N. For a number of sectors including pigmeat, the Flemish rural development plan also includes investment aid (for farms meeting the above minimum requirements) for diversification primarily to boost sustainable farming and raise incomes. This measure could also be used to restructure pig farming. Lastly, the Structural Funds (Council Regulation (EC) No 1620/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (4)) can be used to give assistance in Objective 2 zones and are the Community instruments par excellence in regions requiring support for socio-economic conversion. The Structural Fund provisions for 2000-2006 include Community support for rural areas threatened by serious structural problems in agriculture. Flanders has not however included in its Objective 2 zones rural areas where the situation of pig farming calls for restructuring. (1) OJ L 375, 31. 12. 1991. (2) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999. (3) OJ C 28, 1. 2. 2000. (4) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999. (2001/C 113 E/005) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1259/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Imports of environmentally friendly cars (19 April 2000) The EUís legislation on the introduction of stringent emission standards for new cars in the year 2005 explicitly calls on the governments of the fifteen Member States not to wait until 2005, but to give temporary tax concessions to cleaner fuels and more environmentally friendly cars which already satisfy the stringent 2005 standards. A number of Member States have already started with such measures. Can the Commission provide details of this? Is the Commission itself prepared to make proposals for introducing a similar temporary tax concession with regard to the import duty on environmentally friendly cars from third countries which already satisfy the standards for 2005? Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (19 June 2000) In the Commissionís view economic incentives can play an important role in encouraging the introduction of more advanced fuels or vehicles with better environmental performances. Tax differentiation is an important instrument in order to promote an early introduction of vehicles that meet future mandatory standards. Furthermore a voluntary concept of so called enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles (EEV) is introduced in Directive 1999/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Council Directive 88/77/EEC (1) towards which Member States may use economic incentives. The Commission is currently examining the possibilities of presenting a similar concept for light vehicles. C 113 E/6 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 4. 2001 As far as motor fuels are concerned the Commission proposal adopted in 1997, restructuring the Community system of taxation of energy products (2), allows Member States to apply differentiated rates of energy taxation based on the quality of fuels without formal Commission or Council approval, provided that they comply with the minimum level of taxation set out in the proposal. This proposal is in line with the auto oil directives (Directive 98/69/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles and amending Council Directive 70/220/EEC (3) and Directive 98/70/EC of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/ 12/EEC) (3), but it is still under discussion by the Council. the Parliament and of As far as indirect taxation on motor vehicles is concerned, so far there is little Community legislation or harmonisation of national fiscal provisions applied by the Member States. Approximation of vehicle taxation levels proved very difficult to achieve due to the unanimity rule needed for decisions on fiscal matters. The Commission intends to present a communication on vehicle taxation, in order to launch a discussion with Member States and other Community institutions on future options for action at Community and national levels, including the issue of incentives to promote more advanced fuels or more environment friendly cars. Finally, concerning possible temporary concessions to import duties on environmentally friendly cars, it should be pointed out that such measures must respect the Communityís obligations in the World Trade Organisation. It would, therefore, be most appropriate to explore such possibilities with the Communityís trading partners. Any modification of relevant duty rates is an option which could be explored together with Member States in the context of the preparation for a new and comprehensive round of trade negotiations. (1) OJ L 44, 16. 2. 2000. (2) COM(97) 30 final. (3) OJ L 350, 28. 12. 1998. (2001/C 113 E/006) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279/00 by Emmanouil Mastorakis (PSE) to the Commission (19 April 2000) Subject: Development of island regions Parliament has adopted a resolution on the guidelines for the 2001 budget procedure ü Section III ü Commission (A5-0070/2000 ü the Haug report), paragraph 33 of which, entitled New Policiesí, under- lines the importance of appropriate funding for the areas newly introduced or reinforced by the Amsterdam Treaty, such as the development of island regions. What measures will the Commission take to implement this new policy of developing the island regions? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (15 June 2000) Sardinia, Sicily, all the Greek islands and the outermost regions will be eligible under Objective 1 for the Structural Fundsí 2000-2006 programming period. In addition, as a result of the Commissionís decisions in the case of eleven out of the twelve Member States concerned, a great many islands will be covered by Objective 2 on the basis of the proposals put forward by the national authorities. On 1 July 1999 the Commission approved the guidelines for the Structural Fund programmes for 2000- 2006. They set the Community priorities for the new programming period. Some of these priorities concern very directly the problems facing the island regions: the need to improve access; the use of renewable sources of energy, particularly with reference to the White Paper for a Community strategy and