WRITTEN QUESTION P-0628/03

by Françoise Grossetête (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 February 2003)

Subject: Follow-up action in respect of Directive 1999/96/EC

According to the provisions of Directive 1999/96/EC(1), the Commission should have submitted a proposal to the European Parliament and the Council on the following points before 31 December 2000:

- rules laying down the introduction of an on-board diagnostic system (OBD) to monitor the operation of emission control devices;

- provisions on the reliability and durability requirements of emission control devices; and

- provisions to ensure the conformity of vehicles as regards emissions.

Are these proposals on the Commission's agenda?

If not, what action does the Commission intend to take in this field, and how would it give manufacturers the time necessary to apply the new legislation regulating emissions of industrial vehicles which will enter into force in 2005?

(1) OJ L 44, 16.2.2000, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2003)

The Commission's proposal dealing with the three issues raised in the question is in the final stages of preparation and adoption. It is unfortunate that it has been delayed but that is a consequence of the need to reconstruct the way in which proposals in the field of automotive construction are made to improve the efficiency of the decision making process, to take account of the need to update and simplify the Community acquis(1) and to take account of recent inter-institutional agreements.

As such, the existing annexes laid down in Directive 88/77/EEC and the amendments necessary to introduce the new technical requirements required by Directive 1999/96/EC are being recast according to the Inter-Institutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 between the European Parliament, Council and Commission on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts(2).

The Commission proposal will respect the dates laid down in Articles 4-7 of Directive 1999/96/EC for the application of the measures, i.e. from 1 October 2005 for new types of vehicles and from 1 October 2006 for all types of vehicles.

(1) COM(2003) 71 final, 11.2.2003.

(2) Inter-institutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p. 1.