WRITTEN QUESTION E-3872/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: Eco-label award scheme

The Commission has submitted a proposal for a Council regulation (EC) on a revised Community eco-label award scheme (COM(96) 603 final - 96/0312 SYN) ((OJ C 114, 12.4.1997, p. 9. )).

Will the Commission review the funding of the scheme after three years to assess to what extent it can become financially independent, given that once the Commission's participation has ceased the Member States should contribute to the operation of the scheme in view of the social and environmental advantages produced by the eco-label?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (14 January 1998)

The Commission proposal on a revised Community eco-label scheme foresees a Commission subsidy of ECU 5 030 000 in the first four years of operation of the European eco-label organisation (EEO). There are no plans to review the funding of the EEO after three years.

However, the Commission does not support the EEO alone, in fact 50% of the annual fees of eco-labelled products would go to the EEO (Annex V.8, of the Commission's proposal). According to Article 7.1 of the financial statement of the Commission's proposal the eco-label competent bodies shall finance the EEO together with the Commission and shall continue to support the scheme when the Commission's subsidy ends. According to Article 10 of the Commission's proposal, Member States will have to contribute to the establishment of the scheme through information and promotional campaigns.