WRITTEN QUESTION E-1226/00 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Environment.
13. 2. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 46 E/149 (2001/C 46 E/171) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1226/00 by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission (14 April 2000) Subject: Environment The Commission recently proposed a system of emissions trading amongst the different Member States to facilitate, and reduce the cost of, compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, under which current emission levels are to be brought down by 8 % over the period 2008-2012. The proposal refers to net emissions of the gases in question throughout. Does the Commission not believe that it would be more appropriate to adjust these values to emissions per unit produced, thereby making our undertakings more competitive in environmental terms and directly encouraging research into, and the development of, more environmentally friendly production techniques? What measures does it intend to take to dissuade our industry from relocating to countries with more flexible legislation in this area? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (30 May 2000) The Commission does not believe that it would be more appropriate to use áemissions per unit producedí as a basis for meeting its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Most basically, this is because the Kyoto Protocolís targets are absolute targets, and the Communityís emissions of greenhouse gases must therefore be reduced in absolute terms if its international commitments are to be honoured. With regard to the possible relocation of industry outside the Community, it is to be noted that all the Communityís major industrialised competitors undertook emission reduction targets, the achievement of which will also require policies to be put in place. It is likely, therefore, that companies located in other industrialised countries will have to make efforts comparable with the efforts required of Community companies. With regard to the possible relocation of industry to developing countries that do not have targets to meet under the Kyoto Protocol, it is the Commissionís opinion that decisions on relocation depend upon a multitude of factors, of which environmental criteria is only one. However, in the longer term, it is to be expected that efforts to contain emissions will also have to be taken by developing countries if the objectives of the Climate Change Framework Convention are to be met. (2001/C 46 E/172) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1232/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council (27 April 2000) Subject: Presence of regions such as Galicia at meetings of the Fisheries Council of the European Union The Spanish Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Jesœs Posada, said in Santiago de Compostela that he doubted whether autonomous communities such as Galicia, which hold the corresponding powers and have a large fishing industry, could represent the state at meetings of the Council of Ministers. Does the Council share this view? Are there other Member States whose federal states or other internal political entities already participate in the Fisheries Council?