WRITTEN QUESTION P-2451/99 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission. Overlapping of meetings of the Commission and of the European Parliament.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/11 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. How much asbestos was produced and used in the European Union in 1997? In the Commissionís opinion, in how many factories was asbestos used? In the Commissionís opinion, in how many office buildings was asbestos used? In the Commissionís opinion, in how many homes was asbestos used? In the Commissionís opinion, in how many school buildings was asbestos used? In the Commissionís opinion, which buildings need to be cleaned up as a matter of priority? 8. What directives has the Commission drafted to achieve a rapid and efficient disposal of the legacy of asbestos pollution? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (3 March 2000) The marketing and use of five of the six different types of asbestos have been banned in the Community since 1991. On 26 July 1999, the Commission adopted Directive 1999/77/EC of 26 July 1999 adapting to technical progress for the sixth time Annex I to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (asbestos) (1) which extends this ban to all types of asbestos from 1 January 2005 at the latest. There are only very limited exceptions to this ban, and these will be reviewed by the Commission before 1 January 2003. This Directive should prevent any increase in the stock of asbestos in the Community. The Commission does not have a detailed inventory of the use of asbestos in the Member States. The Commission does not have the information requested in items 2-7 of the Honourable Memberís questions. Asbestos waste is subject to general waste legislation, namely Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste (2) (as modified). Furthermore, asbestos waste constitutes hazardous waste under Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December 1991 (3) when it is contained in insulation materials present in construction and demolition waste. Council Directive 87/217/EEC of 19 March 1987 on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos (4) contains some basic rules as regards the removal and disposal of asbestos waste. Those provisions do not require a rapid and efficient disposal of such asbestos waste. (1) OJ L 207, 6. 8. 1999. (2) OJ L 194, 25. 7. 1975. (3) OJ L 377, 31. 12. 1991. (4) OJ L 85, 28. 3. 1987. (2000/C 330 E/010) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2451/99 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Overlapping of meetings of the Commission and of the European Parliament The Commission regularly organises meetings or (press) conferences on dates which coincide with part- sessions of the European Parliament in Strasbourg or Brussels. On Friday 19 November 1999, for example, Commissioner Kinnock held a press conference and working luncheon in The Hague which MEPs were also invited to attend, although the European Parliament was sitting in Strasbourg on that day. Does not the Commission agree that such overlapping of meetings and conferences is undesirable, 1. given that the Commission has to attend meetings of Parliament? C 330 E/12 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 Is the Commission aware that press coverage of Parliamentís part-sessions suffers as a result of this 2. overlapping because journalists cannot be in two places at once? 3. Does not the Commission share my view that public opinion on Europe in general and on the European Parliament in particular would be more favourable if the institutions took account of each otherís calendar of meetings? Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (25 January 2000) Commissioners do seek to ensure that such meetings do not conflict with their presence in Parliament. Like all Commissioners, Mr Kinnock is acutely conscious of the fact that during plenary sessions his first obligation is to answer any Parliamentary debate or questions that fall within his responsibility. The Commission is aware of the calendar of meetings and will endeavour to avoid undesirable overlaps. It agrees entirely with the Honourable Member that it is important that the European institutions take account of each otherís schedules of meetings. (2000/C 330 E/011) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2486/99 by Joachim Wuermeling (PPE-DE) and Maria Berger (PSE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Enlargement to the East ü Günter Verheugenís announcement of an instrument to promote border regions In an interview on 8 November 1999 (in the magazine Focus) the Commissioner Günter Verheugen called on the Commission to create an instrument to promote regions bordering the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in order to compensate these regions for the disadvantages caused by enlargement to the East. 1. What stage has the Commission reached in the creation of such an instrument? Can the Commission already supply further details of the structure, time-scale and scope of the 2. instrument? Should the promotion of the border regions be assisted with national funding in addition to EU 3. funding? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (21 January 2000) During the next programming period, 2000-06, the Interreg III Community Initiative will pay close attention to activities to assist the regions on the external borders of the Community, in preparation for enlargement. Assistance to these regions will be provided through strand A ácross-border cooperationí, the appropriations for which will account for at least 50 % of total funding for this Initiative. The Commission laid down the conditions of implementation in its proposed guidelines for this Initiative (1), on which the Member States and the other Community institutions are currently being consulted. After Parliament has given its opinion, which is scheduled for February 2000, the guidelines will be adopted definitively by the Commission and communicated to the Member States, who will then have six months to submit their proposals for programmes. As for all programmes part-financed under the Structural Funds, the Community aid under Interreg will be subject to a national contribution. (1) COM(1999) 479 final