WRITTEN QUESTION No. 342/99 by Nelly MAES European Commission complaint against Belgium for failure to comply with the directive on waste incineration
29. 11. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 341/95 (1999/C 341/133) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0341/99 by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission (23 February 1999) Subject: Growing competitiveness of imported rice following European Union concessions The common organisation of the market has proved incapable of playing an effective market guidance and management role, owing to the fact that insufficient account has been taken of the increase in the areas under rice and in production levels, the basic stability of consumption levels and the growing competitiveness of imported rice following the many concessions which the European Union has made to third country and the conclusion of the GATT agreements. A full-blown crisis occurred during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 marketing years when the total area under rice within the European Union rose to over 420 000 hectares while still remaining below the guaranteed maximum area. The result was a major drop in producer prices and the withdrawal of substantial quantities of rice. The situation is so serious that Regulation (EC) 3072/95 (1) will probably need to be revised. However, this must not be done until the forthcoming international trade negotiations (WTO agreements) have been concluded and proper account has been taken of the impact of Agenda 2000, particularly on the arable crop sector. Does the Commission intend to determine whether it is possible to: transfer a large area (at least 50 000 hectares) from the local variety to the ‘world’ variety; make a distinction between ‘world’ rice and local rice as far as compensatory aid payments are concerned; and, lastly, reduce the market price for ‘world’ rice by an amount equivalent to the increase in compensatory payments, without cutting the intervention price? (1) OJ L 329, 30. 12. 1995, p. 18. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (31 March 1999) As the Honourable Member pointed out, the rice market has been unstable since the 1996/97 marketing year, a fact evidenced by the large-scale recourse to intervention measures. The Commission takes the view that it would be appropriate to introduce an initiative aimed at squaring supply with demand once more within the Community. The Commission is currently considering several options, one of which (that mentioned by the Honourable Member) is currently being closely scrutinised for its compatibility with international agreements; the Commission is also assessing the possible impact of the proposed measures on the Community market. (1999/C 341/134) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0342/99 by Nelly Maes (ARE) to the Commission (23 February 1999) Subject: European Commission complaint against Belgium for failure to comply with the directive on waste incineration May I ask the Commission to state in what respect it considers Flemish legislation on waste incinerators to be unsatisfactory? Answer given by Ms Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (9 April 1999) The Commission has indeed decided to bring the matter before the Court of Justice, in order to obtain confirmation of undue transposition of Council Directive 89/369/EEC of 8 June 1989 on the prevention of air pollution from new municipal waste incineration plants (1), and of Council Directive 89/429/EEC of 21 June 1989 on the reduction of air pollution from existing municipal waste-incineration plants (2)