91997E3032

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3032/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (1 October 1997)

Subject: Community Environmental Law

In its communication 'Implementing Community environmental law' (COM(96) 0500 final - CES 455/97) the Commission takes the view that, since many parts of the Community are lagging behind in implementing the Community's environmental law, action to improve the current situation should be stepped up.

Its proposal to put forward recommendations for harmonizing the environmental inspection system with the support of IMPEL (Implementation Community Environmental Law) and the European Environment Agency is welcome.

Will the Commission beef up its own monitoring and inspection powers (Article 155 of the Treaty) by creating the machinery needed to help carry them out?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1997)

The proposal in the communication on implementing Community environmental law ((COM (96) 500 final, 22.10.96. )) stated that the inspection authorities in the Member States could produce and publish annual reports on the experience acquired during the carrying out of their inspection tasks, which themselves would be the subject of guidelines issued by the Commission. Work on the preparation of these minimum criteria has commenced with the involvement of the IMPEL network. Reporting on the performance of inspection authorities against these criteria will enable monitoring to occur. As the communication stated, 'further consideration would be given as to whether there might be a need for a limited Community body with auditing competencies' once experience with the minimum criteria has taken place.