WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1539/98 by Phillip WHITEHEAD to the Commission. Food labelling
22. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 402/141 Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behaf of the Commission (10 June 1998) The Commissionís CARE database of European accident statistics contains information on road accidents 1. where injuries were reported. Figures from the CARE database show that in 1995 there were 87 361 accidents with injuries where lorries over 3. 5 tons were involved. It should be noted that this provisional figure is for 14 Member States excluding Finland as the Commission has not yet received statistics from that Member State for this category of accident. The Commission is not in a position to examine the effect of all national or local actions aimed at reducing 2. road accidents of lorries. As far as Community legislation is concerned, the introduction of the speed limiter, requirements for front underrun protection, sideguards, spray suppressors, tachographs, roadworthiness tests and type approval standards are examples of measures aimed at reducing accidents. The effects of these separate measures, is however, very difficult to estimate. The Dutch law to prohibit overtaking on certain stretches is a consequence of the introduction of the speed limiter which affects the speed at which lorries can overtake, with the associated risk of traffic flows being blocked. The reported results in terms of traffic fluidity are positive. (98/C 402/187) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1539/98 by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission (18 May 1998) Subject: Food labelling Does the Commission still intend to undertake a comprehensive review of food labelling? If so, when will the result be available? Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (23 June 1998) As promised at the time of the adoption of the last amendment (1) of Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer (2), the procedure of codification of this Directive has been launched to make it more comprehensible to its users. A proposal for a codified text should reach the Parliament and the Council at the end of this year. Moreover, the Commission is currently examining the need to amend Directive 79/112/EEC to ensure better information for people who suffer from food allergy. Finally, the Commission, within the framework of the follow-up of the green paper on food legislation (3), will examine the need for and the feasibility of, a simplification of Community legislation on labelling of foodstuffs to regroup as much as possible all labelling provisions. (1) COM(98) 99 final. (2) OJ L 33, 8. 2. 1979. (3) COM(97) 176 final