TEXTS ADOPTED
P6_TA(2006)0359
Request for the defence of Jannis Sakellariou's immunity
European Parliament decision on the request for defence of the immunity and privileges of Jannis Sakellariou (2006/2145(IMM))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the request by Jannis Sakellariou for defence of his immunity in connection with legal proceedings pending before a Greek court submitted on 6 June 2006, announced in plenary sitting on 12 June 2006, |
|
— |
having heard Jannis Sakellariou in accordance with Rule 7(3) of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to Article 9 of the Protocol of 8 April 1965 on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities and Article 6(2) of the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, |
|
— |
having regard to the judgments of 12 May 1964 and 10 July 1986 (1) of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, |
|
— |
having regard to Rules 6(3) and 7 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A6-0273/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas Jannis Sakellariou was elected to the European Parliament in the fifth elections held from 10 to 13 June 1999, and whereas his credentials were verified by Parliament on 15 December 1999 (2), |
|
B. |
whereas Members of the European Parliament may not be subject to any form of inquiry, detention or legal proceedings in respect of opinions expressed or votes cast by them in the performance of their duties (3), |
|
C. |
whereas the immunity from legal proceedings enjoyed by Members of the European Parliament also covers immunity from civil proceedings, a fortiori when substantial, punitive damages are sought in those proceedings, |
|
D. |
whereas on 23 September 2003 the European Parliament decided to defend the immunity and privileges of Jannis Sakellariou in relation to the above-mentioned proceedings and to forward its decision and the report of the responsible committee to the competent Greek Court, |
|
E. |
whereas the plaintiff failed to pursue the proceedings to which Parliament's decision of 23 September 2003 referred and only revived the proceedings by summons of 20 December 2005 after Jannis Sakellariou had ceased to be a Member of the European Parliament; |
|
F. |
whereas the facts of the case clearly relate to an opinion expressed in the performance of Jannis Sakellariou's duties as a Member of the European Parliament within the meaning of Article 9 of the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities, |
|
G. |
whereas the immunity conferred on Members of the European Parliament by Article 9 of the Protocol is for the benefit of Parliament itself and absolute and cannot be waived; moreover, it continues to subsist for the benefit of the institution even after the Member of Parliament concerned has ceased to be a member, |
|
1. |
Decides to defend the immunity and privileges of Jannis Sakellariou; |
|
2. |
Instructs its President to forward this decision, and the report of the committee responsible, immediately to the division for civil matters of the Athens Court of First Instance. |
(1) Case 101/63 Wagner v Fohrmann and Krier [1964] ECR 195, and Case 149/85 Wybot v Faure and Others [1986] ECR 2391.
(2) European Parliament Decision on the verification of credentials of Members following the fifth direct elections to the European Parliament on 10 to 13 June 1999 (OJ C 296, 18.10.2000, p. 93).
(3) Article 9 of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities.
P6_TA(2006)0360
Media and development
European Parliament resolution on the media and development (2006/2080(INI))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted on 8 September 2000 at the UN Millennium Summit in New York, |
|
— |
having regard to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted on 18 December 1979 by the UN General Assembly, |
|
— |
having regard to the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, adopted on 4 September 2002 by the World Summit on Sustainable Development, |
|
— |
having regard to the resolution on the results of the special session of the United Nations General Assembly of 5-9 June 2000 on ‘Women 2000: Equality, Development and Peace for the Twenty-First Century’, adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 12 October 2000 in Brussels (1), |
|
— |
having regard to the resolution on the rights of disabled people and older people in ACP countries, adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 1 November 2001 in Brussels (2), |
|
— |
having regard to Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 10 of the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Article 13 of the 1969 American Convention on Human Rights, and Article 9 of the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, |
|
— |
having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Members States of the other part, signed in Cotonou, on 23 June 2000 (3), which entered into force on 1 April 2003, and in particular Article 43, which deals with information and communication technologies and the information society, |
|
— |
having regard to the resolution on the progress made in achieving universal primary education and gender equality in the ACP countries in the context of the MDGs, adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 21 April 2005 in Bamako (4), |
|
— |
having regard to its resolution of 12 June 2001 on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and developing countries (5), |
|
— |
having regard to the ‘Geneva Declaration of Principles’ and the ‘Plan of Action’ of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), adopted on 12 December 2003, |
|
— |
having regard to the ‘Dakar Declaration’ on the Promotion of ACP cultures and cultural industries, signed by Ministers of Culture of the ACP States on 20 June 2003, |
|
— |
having regard to the ‘Tunis Commitment’ adopted by the WSIS on 18 November 2005, |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and the opinion of the Committee on Culture and Education (A6-0264/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas the primary role of the media is the dissemination of information, a process through which they provide citizens with an effective circulation of news, policies and activities of governments, |
|
B. |
whereas the media are the most important vehicle for public participation in the decision-making process, |
|
C. |
whereas the media have a particularly important role to play in consciousness-shaping and in imparting information, |
|
D. |
whereas the media can help a country's development, because people's quality of life can be affected by ICT; the media can have a positive influence on people's mentality, culture, and the socio-political framework; and the shaping of the civil and political consciousness of citizens could lead to more representative government, |
|
E. |
whereas improving information flows and communication services is a necessary condition by which to eliminate poverty and whereas freedom of expression, including access to information and a free press, is a fundamental human right that allows people to demand the right to health, to a clean environment and to the effective implementation of poverty-reduction strategies, |
|
F. |
whereas a lack of information or inappropriate communication strategies by governments and intergovernmental agencies can lead to mistrust, misrepresentation and disinformation, |
|
G. |
whereas in 2005, 63 journalists were killed and in 2006, to date, 27 journalists and 12 media assistants have been killed, while 135 remain imprisoned, according to the statistics of professional organisations, |
|
H. |
whereas radio and television are important information tools that are much more widespread in developing countries than telephones or the Internet and much more effective than newspapers, |
|
I. |
whereas rural radio represents a fundamental tool for agricultural extension and rural development, |
|
J. |
whereas a well-informed and independent civil society (non-governmental organisations (NGOs), professional associations, independent media, research institutions, etc) can play a crucial role in breaking the circle of violence and corruption by encouraging open debate and demanding more accountable government, |
|
K. |
whereas a free press is a central condition for the development and maintenance of a transparent and honest government, durable economic growth and progress in social and political development and stability, |
|
L. |
whereas more than 20 countries in Africa have only one newspaper (while in 2004, there were 1456 daily papers in the 25 Member States), which is not surprising, given the high rate of illiteracy, |
|
M. |
whereas in regions where illiteracy is very extensive, radio is the most appropriate communications technology, because it is available to the majority of people, and particularly to disenfranchised rural communities, women and the young, |
|
N. |
whereas fewer than 30 % of broadcast television programmes in developing countries are own productions and the level of investment in the field of television communication is particularly low, |
|
O. |
whereas the cinema has registered very high records in developing countries' audiences in recent years, |
|
P. |
whereas ICT can be used in many ways in support of education in developing countries and as a way out of isolation (particularly thanks to satellite links) while more traditional ICT (radio and television) can lay claim to numerous successes in distance education at competitive costs, |
|
Q. |
whereas computerisation has substantially improved journalists' work and the networking of computers between different departments has saved a considerable amount of time; whereas Internet connections also facilitate journalists' work, enabling them to draw on more varied sources and complementary information as well as reporting in the field, |
|
1. |
Recognises the important role of the media on government transparency, accountability and the public scrutiny of decision-makers in power, by highlighting policy failures, maladministration by public officials, corruption in the judiciary and scandals in the corporate sector; |
|
2. |
Calls on the European Union (EU), Member States, the acceding countries and the ACP countries to involve civil society organisations, including private enterprises, and particularly the media, in attaining their objectives for development; |
|
3. |
Considers it important to further improve the dialogue and consultation between local non-State players and national authorities in developing countries in crucial areas, such as the media, in order to strengthen the abilities, accountability and transparency of public institutions and to increase public sector effectiveness in applying the principles of respect for human rights and good governance and in fighting corruption; |
|
4. |
Affirms the importance of ensuring a more systematic integration of freedom of expression and communication within the strategies and funding policies of the development agenda; |
|
5. |
Underlines the importance of the media in fostering respect for cultural diversity and promoting national and international cultural development; |
|
6. |
Insists that the role of the media is not restricted to mainstream models, but that alternative media and informal communication networks should be strengthened and included in any infrastructure development plan; |
|
7. |
Calls on the Commission to place further emphasis on and to support programmes in the area of the media that will help to:
|
|
8. |
Considers that funding programmes with a mandate on and for development should include a more systematic integration of State-independent media; |
|
9. |
Calls for women's effective access to the media in order to achieve an increase in their participation in production and to contribute to economic development; |
|
10. |
Underlines the importance of considering youth as the pivotal component in facilitating and organising information and communication mechanisms in developing countries; |
|
11. |
Welcomes and supports events such as:
|
|
12. |
Supports all government policies that provide support for public service radio, commercial radio, community radio and rural radio, as it is widely seen as the most appropriate and cost-effective tool for promoting information and communication for development; |
|
13. |
Appeals to the Commission, in emerging conflict situations, to direct more attention and to increase the most direct possible financial support to the independent media; |
|
14. |
Underlines the role of the media in the education of people in developing countries, especially in terms of health care (sexual and reproductive health, malaria, etc.), employment, agriculture, trade, and environmental sustainability, such as the role played by the BBC World Service Trust for the use of communications for development; |
|
15. |
Understands the problem of the ‘personalisation’ of news, which can manipulate both the audience of developing countries and the western public, and encourages the organisations that provide training to journalists to give particular importance to the achievement of a minimum salary for people working in the media, which will make them less vulnerable to corruption; |
|
16. |
Realises that independent and professional media play a key role in providing knowledge and in giving a voice to marginalised people, by developing a culture of criticism where people are less apprehensive about questioning government action; |
|
17. |
Supports NGOs and trusts which invest in the education of journalists in developing countries and which improve the working conditions of media professionals so that they have a real chance to do their work in a secure and independent way; |
|
18. |
Underlines the importance of strengthening the social and educational infrastructure by investing in better schoolbooks and funding media programmes which also offer educational content; |
|
19. |
Encourages the role of the media in peace-process and post-conflict situations, by helping to inform the public about peace agreements and their implications and thereby facilitating public participation; |
|
20. |
Stresses the decisive role of the media in promoting the protection of human rights in developing countries and in raising public awareness in countries in the West and, by extension, increasing their contribution to humanitarian aid; |
|
21. |
Calls on governments and public authorities throughout the world to end in particular the culture of impunity regarding violence against journalists by investigating and punishing those responsible for attacks on media professionals, and by taking the necessary precautions that make it possible for journalists to continue to provide citizens with the essential knowledge and objective information that flow from a free and independent press; |
|
22. |
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, to the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the acceding countries, to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the President of the World Bank. |
(1) OJ C 64, 28.2.2001, p. 49.
(3) OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3. Agreement as last amended by the Agreement amending the Partnership Agreement (OJ L 209, 11.8.2005, p. 27).
P6_TA(2006)0361
The European dimension of school teaching materials
European Parliament resolution on initiatives to complement school curricula providing appropriate support measures to include the European dimension (2006/2041(INI))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to Article 149 of the EC Treaty, |
|
— |
having regard to the resolution for enhancing the European dimension in education (1) which the European Council and the Ministers of Education meeting within the Council adopted on 24 May 1988, |
|
— |
having regard to the Green Paper on the European dimension of education (COM(1993)0457), |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission's Communication entitled ‘A New Framework Strategy for Multilingualism’ (COM(2005)0596), |
|
— |
having regard to the joint interim report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe entitled ‘Education and training 2010’ The success of the Lisbon strategy hinges on urgent reforms (2), |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture and Education (A6-0267/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas the European dimension has become in recent decades an increasingly important aspect of education, especially in national school curricula, |
|
B. |
whereas the European Parliament is already involved in this field, particularly with the Hearing on ‘The European Dimension in History Teaching’ of 7 April 2004, |
|
C. |
whereas initiatives have already been taken by national authorities in Member States such as Austria, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, the UK, Slovenia and Spain on the subject of Europe's place in education and whereas many initiatives have also been taken in this area by non-governmental organisations, |
|
D. |
whereas the linguistic aspect appears to be fundamental in strengthening the European dimension, proficiency in foreign languages being a part of the basic set of skills of a typical European citizen living, studying, working and generally circulating in the European Union, |
|
E. |
whereas disparities exist between and within Member States where the inclusion of the European dimension in education is concerned, |
|
F. |
whereas the importance of the Comenius and Lingua programmes must be borne in mind in this respect, |
|
G. |
whereas the information about Europe that is conveyed to pupils, teachers and students varies widely from country to country and whereas efforts must be made to agree on a common understanding of history and a definition of European values, |
|
H. |
whereas the main obstacles include the still limited scale of cross-border initiatives and programmes, a lack of coordination between initiatives, a lack of visibility and accessibility, as well as inadequate or unsuitable tools for carrying out these tasks, |
|
I. |
whereas there are many obstacles and difficulties which currently face teachers in order to implement the European dimension in their lessons including the lack of up-to-date, high-quality informational and educational material on the European Union available in all EU languages, and whereas the European Union should assist them in this endeavour, |
|
1. |
Considers that all education systems should ensure that their pupils have by the end of their secondary education the knowledge and competences they need, as defined by their respective educational authorities, to prepare them for their roles as citizens and as members of the European Union; |
|
2. |
Stresses the importance of finding a clearer and uniform definition across the Member States of the meaning, substance and scope of the ‘European dimension’; |
|
3. |
Urges the European Council and the Ministers of Education to update the above-mentioned resolution, in particular taking in to account the enlargements to the EU which have occurred since then; |
|
4. |
Urges the Council to recognise the two different aspects of the European dimension — firstly access to information about the EU: its institutions, methods, practices, initiatives, and secondly knowledge of Europe's shared history and cultural heritage, the development of linguistic skills, and a grasp of European current events, all of which may supplement national curricula; |
|
5. |
Stresses the importance of using multi-media and Internet educational resources as modern teaching methods for introducing the European dimension into school curricula; with this in view, recommends for instance the setting up of a multilingual Internet service that will present best practice, provide educational assistance and serve as a platform for the exchange of experience; |
|
6. |
Insists on the need for continued improvement in the provision of language teaching, for example within the Comenius section of the Lifelong Learning Programme; recognises furthermore that it is difficult, in some Member States, in particular for those whose mother tongue is English, to maintain sufficient interest and motivation in becoming proficient in other European languages, thus underpinning the level of mutual understanding and empathy across Europe; in this connection learning the languages of neighbouring peoples is especially important; |
|
7. |
Urges Member States to promote the dissemination of multilingualism by a policy of learning a broader range of languages than those taught today and to establish the teaching of at least two foreign languages from a very early age in their school curricula; |
|
8. |
Suggests an analysis of where the Lisbon Agenda has so far failed to produce the intended results in this matter and the production of a list of measures considered essential for Member State governments to implement if the agreed economic improvements are to be brought about; |
|
9. |
Recommends an exchange of best practice between all Member States with regard to language teaching and the inclusion of European content in education, to ensure that the current initiatives, including those established pre-2004, are disseminated to all EU Member States; |
|
10. |
Proposes that as an important aspect of ensuring the success of the last EU enlargement, adequate information, project, student and teacher exchanges should be arranged between the ten new and the fifteen more long-term Member States; |
|
11. |
Calls on the Council to consider whether useful and relevant teaching resources such as ‘European Schoolnet’, learning cooperation and innovation and tools such as ‘Europe at School’ require support with additional resources and whether teachers have sufficient guidance as to how to access the relevant information in order to enhance the European dimension in education; |
|
12. |
Suggests the promotion of teacher training courses which provide the trainees with the necessary understanding of European issues so that they may complement their teaching of national and local awareness with the European dimension; |
|
13. |
Stresses that the European dimension complements national content, but neither replaces nor supplants it; |
|
14. |
Stresses the need to update existing documents, in particular the 1996 non-exhaustive Eurydice thematic bibliography; |
|
15. |
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States. |
P6_TA(2006)0362
Cleaner air for Europe ***I
European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (COM(2005)0447 — C6-0356/2005 — 2005/0183(COD))
(Codecision procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2005) 0447) (1), |
|
— |
having regard to Article 251(2) and Article 175 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C6-0356/2005), |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A6-0234/2006), |
|
1. |
Approves the Commission proposal as amended; |
|
2. |
Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend the proposal substantially or replace it with another text; |
|
3. |
Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission. |
(1) Not yet published in OJ.
P6_TC1-COD(2005)0183
Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 26 September 2006 with a view to the adoption of Directive 2006/.../EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (3),
Whereas:
|
(1) |
The Sixth Community Environment Action Programme adopted by Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 (4) establishes the need to reduce pollution to levels which minimise harmful effects on human health, paying particular attention to sensitive populations, and the environment as a whole, to improve the monitoring and assessment of air quality including the deposition of pollutants and to provide information to the public. |
|
(2) |
In order to protect human health and the environment as a whole, it is particularly important to combat the emission of pollutants at source. Therefore, emissions of harmful air pollutants should be avoided, prevented or reduced. To that end, the Commission should lay down immediately appropriate emission rules for all relevant pollutant sources, taking into account relevant World Health Organisation air quality standards, guidelines and programmes. |
|
(3) |
Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assessment and management (5), Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air (6), Directive 2000/69/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2000 relating to limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air (7), Directive 2002/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2002 relating to ozone in ambient air (8) and Council Decision 97/101/EC of 27 January 1997 establishing a reciprocal exchange of information and data from networks and individual stations measuring ambient air pollution within the Member States (9) need to be substantially revised in order to incorporate the latest health and scientific developments and the experience of the Member States. In the interests of clarity, simplification and administrative efficiency it is therefore appropriate that those five acts be replaced by a single Directive. |
|
(4) |
Once sufficient experience has been gained in relation to the implementation of Directive 2004/107/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 relating to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air (10) consideration may be given to the possibility of merging its provisions with those of this Directive. |
|
(5) |
A common approach to the assessment of air quality should be followed according to common assessment criteria. When assessing ambient air quality, account should be taken of the size of populations and ecosystems exposed to air pollution. It is therefore appropriate to classify the territory of each Member State into zones or agglomerations reflecting the population density. |
|
(6) |
Where possible, pollution diffusion modelling should be applied to enable point data to be interpreted in terms of geographical distribution of concentration. This could serve as a basis for calculating the collective exposure of the population living in the area. |
|
(7) |
In order to ensure that the information collected on air pollution is sufficiently representative and comparable across the Community, it is important that standardised measurement techniques and common criteria for the number and location of measuring stations are used for the assessment of ambient air quality. Techniques other than measurements can be used to assess ambient air quality and it is therefore necessary to define criteria for the use and required accuracy of such techniques. |
|
(8) |
Detailed measurements and calculations of fine particulate matter at background locations should be made in order to understand better the impacts of this pollutant , to define background pollution and to be able to develop appropriate policies. Appropriate policies should aim in particular to take realistic account of the proportion of background pollution in total pollution, which is to be factored in when setting limit values. Measurements should be carried out efficiently. Therefore, information obtained from sampling points for fixed measurements should, as far as possible, be complemented by information obtained through modelling techniques and indicative measurements. Measurements should be made in a manner consistent with those of the cooperative programme for monitoring and evaluation of the long range transmission of air pollutants in Europe set up under the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution approved by Council Decision 81/462/EEC of 11 June 1981 (11). |
|
(9) |
Air quality status should be maintained, where it is already good , in such a way that air quality standards are not exceeded. In the context of the sustainable development of the zone concerned, air quality should be improved . Where air quality standards are exceeded, Member States should take action so that they achieve compliance with the specified values , the onus on Member States with high exceedance levels being particularly great because, as a rule, air quality can be improved there in the most cost-effective manner . Exceedances attributable to wintertime sanding of roads should be ignored. |
|
(10) |
The risk to vegetation from air pollution is most important in places away from urban areas, where such vegetation is situated. The assessment of such risks and the compliance with air quality standards for the protection of vegetation should therefore focus on places away from built-up areas. |
|
(11) |
Fine particulate matter (PM2,5) is responsible for significant negative impacts on human health. Further, there is as yet no identifiable threshold below which PM2,5 would not pose a risk. As the available data for PM2,5 are not yet sufficient in order to introduce a limit value, a target value should initially apply until such time as a limit value can enter into force. As such, this pollutant should not be regulated in the same way as other air pollutants. The approach should aim at a general reduction of concentrations in the urban background to ensure that large sections of the population benefit from improved air quality. In particular in zones and agglomerations with a very high level of fine particulate matter pollution, optimum use should be made of the available scope for reduction. However, to ensure a minimum degree of health protection everywhere, a target value for all zones and agglomerations should be laid down. |
|
(12) |
The existing long-term objectives of ensuring effective protection against harmful effects on human health and vegetation and ecosystems from exposure to ozone should remain unchanged. An alert threshold and an information threshold for ozone should be set for the protection of the general population and sensitive sections, respectively, from brief exposures to elevated ozone concentrations. Those thresholds should trigger the dissemination of information to the public about the risks of exposure and the implementation of appropriate short-term measures to reduce ozone levels where the alert threshold is exceeded. |
|
(13) |
Ozone is a transboundary pollutant formed in the atmosphere from the emission of primary pollutants addressed by Directive 2001/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants (12). Progress towards the air quality targets and long term objectives for ozone set in this Directive should be determined by the targets and emission ceilings provided for in Directive 2001/81/EC. |
|
(14) |
Air pollutant measurements should be carried out efficiently and in a targeted fashion. Fixed measurements should therefore be complemented as far as possible, by modelling techniques and indicative measurements. Fixed measurements of ozone should be mandatory in zones where the long-term objectives are exceeded. The use of supplementary means of assessment should be allowed for the purpose of reducing the required number of fixed sampling points. |
|
(15) |
Pollutant emissions to air from natural sources are capable of measurement but cannot be controlled. Therefore, where natural contributions to pollutants in ambient air can be determined with sufficient certainty, they should be subtracted when assessing compliance with air quality limit values. |
|
(16) |
For zones and agglomerations where conditions are particularly difficult, it should be possible to postpone the deadline for compliance with the air quality limit and target values in cases where, notwithstanding the implementation of appropriate pollution abatement measures, acute compliance problems exist in specific zones and agglomerations. Any postponement for a given zone or agglomeration should be accompanied by a comprehensive plan or programme to ensure compliance by the revised deadline. Flexibility for Member States is even more important if the necessary Community measures reflecting the chosen ambition level in the Thematic Strategy on air pollution to reduce emissions at source, including at least those measures mentioned in Annex XVII, have not entered into force by 1 January 2010, since some Member States will not be able to meet the limit values without these measures, despite huge efforts at national level. |
|
(17) |
Plans or programmes should be developed for zones and agglomerations within which concentrations of pollutants in ambient air exceed the relevant air quality standards, plus any temporary margins of tolerance applicable. Air pollution is emitted from many different sources and activities. To ensure coherence between different policies, such plans and programmes should be consistent, and integrated with plans and programmes prepared pursuant to Directive 2001/80/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants (13), Directive 2001/81/EC, and Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2002 relating to the assessment and management of noise (14). |
|
(18) |
Action plans should be drawn up indicating the measures to be taken in the short term where there is a risk of an exceedance of one or more relevant air quality standards or alert thresholds in order to reduce that risk and to limit the duration of such an occurrence. In respect of ozone, such short-term action plans should take into account the provisions of Commission Decision 2004/279/EC of 19 March 2004 concerning guidance for implementation of Directive 2002/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to ozone in ambient air (15). |
|
(19) |
The purpose of such plans and programmes is the direct improvement of air quality and the environment and they should not therefore be subject to Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (16). |
|
(20) |
Member States should consult with one another if, following significant pollution originating in another Member State, the level of a pollutant exceeds, or is likely to exceed, the relevant air quality standards plus the margin of tolerance or, as the case may be, the alert threshold. The transboundary nature of specific pollutants, such as ozone and particulate matter, may require coordination between neighbouring Member States in drawing up and implementing plans, programmes and short-term action plans and in informing the public. Where appropriate, Member States should pursue cooperation with third countries, with particular emphasis on the early involvement of candidate countries. |
|
(21) |
In view of the transboundary character of specific pollutants and the consequent possibility that a limit value may be exceeded in a Member State on account of a cause over which the Member State has no direct influence, it should be possible for the Commission to grant Member States more time to comply with the standards laid down in this Directive. |
|
(22) |
Member States that have so far not taken sufficient measures to reduce air pollution, including implementation of the Directives referred to in point 10 of Annex XV by the deadlines specified in those directives, should not qualify for any derogation within the meaning of Article 20. The Commission should scrutinize requests for derogation carefully, taking into account the fact that the derogation periods specified in Article 20 are maximum periods. The Commission should report to the European Parliament on its decisions, giving its reasons, and indicating the period of any derogation granted to Member States. |
|
(23) |
A thorough Impact Assessment of this Directive has been done taking both Better Regulation and the Sustainable Development Strategy into account. However, as CO2 emission reductions are expected to be greater than predicted in the Impact Assessment, costs might be overestimated and the benefits underestimated, since continued emission reductions after 2012 will contribute among other things to an improvement of air quality. |
|
(24) |
As far as possible, the aims of this Directive should be made compatible with the sustainable development of the zones and agglomerations concerned. |
|
(25) |
Regarding industrial installations, this Directive should not involve measures beyond the application of best available techniques as required by Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (17), and in particular should not lead to the closure of installations. However, it should require all the Member States to take all cost-effective abatement measures in the relevant sectors. |
|
(26) |
It is necessary for the Member States and the Commission to collect, exchange and disseminate air quality information in order to understand better the impacts of air pollution and develop appropriate policies. Up-to-date information on concentrations of all regulated pollutants in ambient air should also be readily available to the public. It should be ensured that the public is informed each day about current daily measured values. |
|
(27) |
In order to facilitate the handling and comparison of air quality information, data should be made available to the Commission in a standardised form. |
|
(28) |
It is necessary to adapt procedures for data provision, assessment and reporting of air quality to enable electronic means and the internet to be used as the main tools to make information available, and so that those procedures will be compatible with Directive 2006/.../EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of ... [establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (Inspire)] (18). |
|
(29) |
It is appropriate to provide for the possibility of adapting the criteria and techniques used for the assessment of the ambient air quality to scientific and technical progress and the information to be provided. Furthermore, reference techniques for air quality modelling should be adopted, where available. |
|
(30) |
Since the air quality objectives of this Directive cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States alone and can therefore, by reason of the transboundary nature of air pollutants, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives. |
|
(31) |
Member States should lay down rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Directive and ensure that they are implemented. The penalties should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. |
|
(32) |
Certain provisions of the acts repealed by this Directive should remain in force in order to ensure the continuance of existing air quality limits for nitrogen dioxide until they are replaced from 1 January 2010, the continuance of air quality reporting provisions until new implementing measures are adopted, and the continuance of obligations relating to the preliminary assessments of air quality required under Directive 2004/107/EC. |
|
(33) |
The obligation to transpose this Directive into national law should be confined to those provisions which represent a substantive change as compared with the earlier Directives. The obligation to transpose the provisions which are unchanged arises under the earlier Directives. |
|
(34) |
This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In particular, this Directive seeks to promote the integration into Community policies of a high level of environmental protection and the improvement of environmental quality in accordance with the principle of sustainable development as laid down in Article 37 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. |
|
(35) |
The measures necessary for the implementation of this Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (19), |
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Chapter I
General Provisions
Article 1
Subject matter
This Directive lays down measures aimed at the following:
|
(1) |
defining and establishing objectives for ambient air quality designed to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole; |
|
(2) |
assessing the ambient air quality in Member States on the basis of common methods and criteria and, in particular, assessing concentrations in ambient air of certain pollutants; |
|
(3) |
providing information on ambient air quality in order to help combat pollution and nuisance and to monitor long-term trends and improvements resulting from national and Community measures; |
|
(4) |
ensuring that such information on ambient air quality is made available to the public; |
|
(5) |
maintaining air quality where it is good and improving it in other cases; |
|
(6) |
promoting increased cooperation between the Member States in reducing air pollution. |
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Directive:
|
(1) |
‘ambient air’ shall mean outdoor air in the troposphere, excluding work places; |
|
(2) |
‘pollutant’ shall mean any substance present in ambient air and likely to have harmful effects on human health and/or the environment as a whole; |
|
(3) |
‘level’ shall mean the concentration of a pollutant in ambient air or the deposition thereof on surfaces in a given time; |
|
(4) |
‘assessment’ shall mean any method used to measure, calculate, predict or estimate levels; |
|
(5) |
‘limit value’ shall mean a level fixed on the basis of scientific knowledge, with the aim of avoiding, preventing or reducing harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole, to be attained within a given period and not to be exceeded once attained ; |
|
(6) |
‘ critical level’ shall mean a level fixed on the basis of scientific knowledge, above which direct adverse effects may occur on some receptors, such as trees, other plants or natural ecosystems but not on humans; |
|
(7) |
‘margin of tolerance’ shall mean the percentage of the limit value by which that value may be exceeded subject to the conditions laid down in this Directive; |
|
(8) |
‘target value’ shall mean a level fixed with the aim of avoiding, preventing or reducing harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole, to be attained where possible over a given period; |
|
(9) |
‘alert threshold’ shall mean a level beyond which there is a risk to human health from brief exposure and at which immediate steps are to be taken by the Member States; |
|
(10) |
‘information threshold’ shall mean a level beyond which there is a risk to human health from brief exposure for particularly sensitive sections of the population and for which immediate and appropriate information is necessary; |
|
(11) |
‘upper assessment threshold’ shall mean a level below which a combination of measurements and modelling techniques may be used to assess ambient air quality; |
|
(12) |
‘lower assessment threshold’ shall mean a level below which modelling or objective-estimation techniques alone may be used to assess ambient air quality; |
|
(13) |
‘long-term objective’ shall mean a level to be attained in the long term, save where not achievable through proportionate measures, with the aim of providing effective protection of human health and the environment; |
|
(14) |
‘zone’ shall mean part of the territory of a Member State, as delimited by that Member State for the purposes of air quality assessment and management; |
|
(15) |
‘agglomeration’ shall mean a zone that is a conurbation with a population in excess of 250 000 inhabitants or, where the population is 250 000 inhabitants or less, with a given population density per km2 to be established by the Member States; |
|
(16) |
‘emissions from natural sources’ shall mean any substance present in the air which has not been directly or indirectly created by human activity. In particular, they shall include emissions caused by natural events such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, geothermal activity, unintentional outdoor fires, sea salt or atmospheric resuspension or by atmospheric transport of natural particles from arid regions; |
|
(17) |
‘PM10’ shall mean particulate matter which passes through a size-selective inlet as defined in EN 12341 with a 50 % efficiency cut-off at 10 μm aerodynamic diameter; |
|
(18) |
‘PM2,5’ shall mean particulate matter which passes through a size-selective inlet as defined in EN 14907 with a 50 % efficiency cut-off at 2,5 μm aerodynamic diameter; |
|
(19) |
‘average exposure indicator’ shall mean an average level determined on the basis of measurements at urban background locations throughout the territory of a Member State and which reflects population exposure; |
|
(20) |
‘exposure reduction target’ shall mean a percentage reduction of the average exposure indicator set with the aim of reducing harmful effects on human health, to be attained where possible over a given period; |
|
(21) |
‘urban background locations’ shall mean places in urban areas where apparent levels are representative of the exposure of the general urban population; |
|
(22) |
‘oxides of nitrogen’ shall mean the sum of the volume mixing ratio (ppbv) of nitrogen monoxide (nitric oxide) and nitrogen dioxide expressed in units of mass concentration of nitrogen dioxide (μg/m3); |
|
(23) |
‘fixed measurements’ shall mean measurements taken at fixed sites, either continuously or by random sampling to determine the levels in accordance with the required data quality objectives; |
|
(24) |
‘indicative measurements’ shall mean measurements which fulfil less strict quality criteria compared to fixed measurements; |
|
(25) |
‘volatile organic compounds’ (VOC) shall mean organic compounds from anthropogenic and biogenic sources, other than methane, that are capable of producing photochemical oxidants by reactions with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight. |
Article 3
Responsibilities
1. Member States shall designate at the appropriate levels the competent authorities and bodies responsible for the following:
|
(a) |
assessment of ambient air quality; |
|
(b) |
approval of measurement systems (methods, equipment, networks and laboratories); |
|
(c) |
ensuring accuracy of measurements; |
|
(d) |
analysis of assessment methods; |
|
(e) |
coordination on their territory if Community-wide quality assurance programmes are being organised by the Commission; |
|
(f) |
cooperation with the other Member States and the Commission. |
Where relevant, the competent authorities and bodies shall comply with Section C of Annex I.
2. The Member States shall inform the public of the competent authority or body designated in relation to the tasks referred to in paragraph 1.
Chapter II
Assessment of Ambient Air Quality
SECTION 1
General
Article 4
Establishment of zones and agglomerations
Member States shall establish zones and agglomerations throughout their territory. Air quality assessment and air quality management shall be carried out in all zones and agglomerations.
SECTION 2
Assessment of ambient air quality in relation to sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, lead, benzene and carbon monoxide
Article 5
Assessment regime
1. With respect to sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2,5), lead, benzene and carbon monoxide, the upper and lower assessment thresholds specified in Section A of Annex II for health and vegetation protection shall apply.
Each zone and agglomeration shall be classified in relation to those assessment thresholds.
2. The classification referred to in paragraph 1 shall be monitored and, after an assessment of the results, shall be reviewed every five years in accordance with the procedure laid down in Section B of Annex II.
However, classifications shall be reviewed more frequently in the event of significant changes in activities relevant to the ambient concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide or, where relevant, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter (PM10, PM2,5), lead, benzene or carbon monoxide.
Article 6
Assessment criteria
1. Member States shall undertake assessments of ambient air quality with respect to the pollutants referred to in Article 5 throughout their territory, in accordance with the criteria laid down in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this Article.
2. In all zones and agglomerations where the level of pollutants in ambient air referred to in paragraph 1 exceeds the upper assessment threshold established for those pollutants, fixed measurements shall be used to assess the ambient air quality. Those fixed measurements shall be supplemented by modelling techniques and/or indicative measurements to provide adequate information on ambient air quality.
3. In all zones and agglomerations where the level of pollutants in ambient air referred to in paragraph 1 is below the upper assessment threshold established for those pollutants, a combination of fixed measurements and modelling techniques and/or indicative measurements shall be used to assess the ambient air quality.
4. In all zones and agglomerations where the level of pollutants in ambient air referred to in paragraph 1 is below the lower assessment threshold established for those pollutants, modelling techniques or objectiveestimation techniques or both shall be sufficient for the assessment of the ambient air quality.
5. In addition to the assessments referred to in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, measurements shall be made, at background locations away from significant sources of air pollution, for the purposes of providing, as a minimum, information on the mass concentration and the chemical speciation of fine particulate matter (PM2,5) on an annual average basis and shall be conducted according to the following criteria:
|
(a) |
one sampling point shall be installed every 100 000 km2; |
|
(b) |
each Member State shall set up at least one measuring station or may, by agreement with adjoining Member States, set up one or several common measuring stations, covering the relevant neighbouring zones, to achieve the necessary spatial resolution; |
|
(c) |
where appropriate, monitoring shall be coordinated with the monitoring strategy and measurement programme of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe; |
|
(d) |
Section A of Annex I shall apply in relation to the data quality objectives for mass measurements of particulate matter and Annex IV shall apply in its entirety. |
Member States shall also inform the Commission of the measurement methods used in the measurement of the chemical composition of fine particulate matter (PM2,5).
Article 7
Sampling points
1. The location of sampling points for the measurement of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter (PM10, PM2,5), lead, benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air shall be determined in accordance with the criteria listed in Annex III.
2. In each zone or agglomeration where fixed measurements are the sole source of information for assessing air quality, the number of sampling points for each relevant pollutant shall not be less than the minimum number of sampling points specified in Section A of Annex V. In these zones or agglomerations, the corresponding measurements must be carried out daily.
However, for zones and agglomerations within which information from fixed measurement sampling points is supplemented by information from modelling and/or indicative measurement, the total number of sampling points specified in Section A of Annex V may be reduced by up to 50 %, provided that the following conditions are met:
|
(a) |
the supplementary methods provide sufficient information for the assessment of air quality with regard to limit values, target values or alert thresholds, as well as adequate information for the public; |
|
(b) |
daily measurements are carried out at the sampling points to be installed; |
|
(c) |
the number of sampling points to be installed and the spatial resolution of other techniques are sufficient for the concentration of the relevant pollutant to be established in accordance with the data quality objectives specified in Section A of Annex I and enable assessment results to meet the criteria specified in Section B of Annex I. |
In the case referred to in the second subparagraph, the results of modelling and/or indicative measurement shall be taken into account for the assessment of air quality with respect to the limit values or target values .
3. The Commission and the Member States shall ensure the uniform application of the criteria for selecting sampling points.
Article 8
Reference measurement methods
Member States shall apply the reference measurement methods and criteria specified in Section A and Section C of Annex VI.
Other measurement methods may be used subject to the conditions set out in Section B of Annex VI.
SECTION 3
Assessment of ambient air quality in relation to ozone
Article 9
Assessment criteria
1. Where, in a zone or agglomeration, concentrations of ozone have exceeded the long term objectives specified in point 3 of Annex VII during any of the previous five years of measurement, fixed measurements shall be taken.
2. Where fewer than five years data are available, Member States may, for the purposes of determining whether the long-term objectives referred to in paragraph 1 have been exceeded during those five years, combine the results from measurement campaigns of short duration carried out when and where levels are likely to be at their highest, with the results obtained from emission inventories and modelling.
Article 10
Location of sampling points for the measurement of ozone
1. The location of sampling points for the measurement of ozone shall be determined in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex VIII.
2. The sampling points for fixed measurements of ozone in each zone or agglomeration within which measurement is the sole source of information for assessing air quality shall not be less than the minimum number of sampling points specified in Section A of Annex IX.
However, for zones and agglomerations within which information from sampling points for fixed measurements is supplemented by information from modelling and/or indicative measurements, the number of sampling points specified in Section A of Annex IX may be reduced provided that the following conditions are met:
|
(a) |
the supplementary methods provide sufficient information for the assessment of air quality with regard to target values, long-term objectives, information and alert thresholds; |
|
(b) |
the number of sampling points to be installed and the spatial resolution of other techniques are sufficient for the concentration of ozone to be established in accordance with the data quality objectives specified in Section A of Annex I and enable assessment results to meet the criteria specified in Section B of Annex I; |
|
(c) |
the number of sampling points in each zone or agglomeration amounts to at least one sampling point per two million inhabitants or one sampling point per 50 000 km2, whichever produces the greater number of sampling points, but must not be less than one sampling point in each zone or agglomeration; |
|
(d) |
nitrogen dioxide is measured at all remaining sampling points except at rural background stations. |
In the case referred to in the second subparagraph, the results of modelling and/or indicative measurement shall be taken into account for the assessment of air quality with respect to the target values.
3. Nitrogen dioxide shall be measured at a minimum of 50 % of the ozone sampling points required under Section A of Annex IX. That measurement shall be continuous except at rural background stations, as referred to in Section A of Annex VIII, where other measurement methods may be used.
4. In zones and agglomerations where, during each of the previous five years of measurement, concentrations are below the long-term objectives, the number of sampling points for fixed measurements shall be determined in accordance with Section B of Annex IX.
5. Each Member State shall ensure that at least one sampling point is installed and operated in its territory to supply data on concentrations of the ozone precursor substances listed in Annex X. Each Member State shall choose the number and siting of the stations at which ozone precursor substances are to be measured, taking into account the objectives and methods laid down in Annex X.
Article 11
Reference measurement methods
1. Member States shall apply the reference method for measurement of ozone, set out in point 8 of Section A of Annex VI. Other measuring methods may be used subject to the conditions set out in Section B of Annex VI.
2. Each Member State shall inform the Commission of the methods it uses to sample and measure VOC, as listed in Annex X.
Chapter III
Ambient Air Quality Management
Article 12
Requirements where the levels are lower than the limit values and target values
In zones and agglomerations where the levels of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, PM10, PM2,5, lead, benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air are below the respective limit values or target values specified in Annexes XI and XIV, Member States shall maintain the levels of those pollutants below the limit values or target values and shall endeavour to preserve the best ambient air quality, compatible with sustainable development.
Article 13
Limit values and alert thresholds for the protection of human health
1. Member States shall , having regard to Section A of Annex III, ensure that, throughout their territory, levels of sulphur dioxide, PM10, lead, and carbon monoxide in ambient air do not exceed the limit values laid down in Annex XI.
In respect of nitrogen dioxide and benzene, the limit values specified in Annex XI may not be exceeded from the dates specified therein.
Compliance with these requirements shall be assessed in accordance with Section B of Annex III.
The margins of tolerance laid down in Annex XI shall apply in accordance with Article 21.
2. The alert thresholds for concentrations of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in ambient air shall be those laid down in Section A of Annex XII.
3. Member States may designate zones or agglomerations within which limit values for PM10 are exceeded owing to concentrations of PM10 in ambient air due to the resuspension of particulates following roadsanding in winter-time, or road cleaning, provided that PM2,5 levels are not affected.
Member States shall send the Commission lists of any such zones or agglomerations together with information on concentrations and sources of PM10 therein.
When informing the Commission in accordance with Article 25, Member States shall provide the necessary evidence to demonstrate that any exceedances are due to such resuspended particulates and that reasonable measures have been taken to lower the concentrations.
Without prejudice to Article 19, in the case of the zones or agglomerations referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph, Member States need establish the plans or programmes provided for in Article 21 only in so far as exceedances are attributable to PM10 sources other than road-sanding and salting in wintertime.
Article 14
Critical levels
1. Member States shall, in zones away from agglomerations and other built-up areas, ensure compliance with the critical levels specified in Annex XIII.
Where there is a significant risk of adverse effects, Member States may apply critical levels referred to in the first subparagraph also inside agglomerations and other built-up areas.
2. Where fixed measurements are the sole source of information for assessing air quality, the number of sampling points shall not be less than the minimum number specified in Section C of Annex V. Where that information is supplemented by indicative measurements or modelling then the minimum number of sampling points may be reduced by up to 50 % so long as the assessed concentrations of the relevant pollutant can be established in accordance with the data quality objectives specified in Section A of Annex I.
Article 15
PM2,5 exposure reduction target and target value and limit value for PM2,5 concentration for the protection of human health
1. Member States shall ensure that the exposure reduction target for PM2,5 laid down in Section B of Annex XIV is achieved within the timeframe specified therein.
2. The average exposure indicator for PM2,5 shall be assessed in accordance with Section A of Annex XIV.
3. Each Member State shall, in accordance with Annex III, ensure that the distribution and the individual number of sampling points on which the average exposure indicator for PM2,5 is based reflect the general population exposure adequately. The number of sampling points shall be no less than that determined by application of Section B of Annex V.
4. Member States shall ensure that the target value and limit value for concentrations of PM2,5 in ambient air is attained throughout their territory as from the date specified in Section C of Annex XIV .
5. The margins of tolerance laid down in Section C of Annex XIV shall apply in accordance with Article 21.
Article 16
Requirements in zones and agglomerations where ozone concentrations exceed the long-term objectives
1. Member States shall ensure that the target values and long-term objectives specified in Annex VII are attained within the timeframe set out therein.
2. For zones and agglomerations in which a target value is exceeded, Member States shall ensure that the plan or programme prepared pursuant to Article 6 of Directive 2001/81/EC is implemented in order to attain the target values, save where not achievable through proportionate measures, as from the date specified in point 2 of Annex VII.
Where, in accordance with Article 21(1) of this Directive, plans or programmes must be prepared or implemented in respect of pollutants other than ozone, Member States shall, where appropriate, prepare and implement integrated plans or programmes covering all pollutants concerned.
3. For zones and agglomerations in which the levels of ozone in ambient air are higher than the longterm objectives but below, or equal to, the target values, Member States shall prepare and implement costeffective measures with the aim of achieving the long-term objectives. Those measures shall, at least, be consistent with all the plans and programmes referred to in paragraph 2.
Article 17
Requirements in zones and agglomerations where ozone concentrations meet the long-term objectives
In zones and agglomerations in which ozone levels meet the long-term objectives, Member States shall, in so far as factors including the transboundary nature of ozone pollution and meteorological conditions permit, maintain those levels below the long-term objectives and shall preserve through proportionate measures the best ambient air quality compatible with sustainable development and a high level of environmental and human health protection.
Article 18
Measures required in the event of information or alert thresholds being exceeded
Where the information threshold specified in Annex XII or any of the alert thresholds laid down therein is exceeded, Member States shall take the necessary steps to inform the public by means of radio, television, newspapers or the Internet.
Member States shall also forward to the Commission without delay, on a provisional basis, information concerning the levels recorded and the duration of the periods during which the alert threshold or information threshold was exceeded.
Article 19
Emissions from natural sources
1. Member States may designate zones or agglomerations where the exceedance of limit values or target values for a given pollutant is attributable to natural sources.
Member States shall send the Commission lists of any such zones or agglomerations together with information on concentrations and sources and the evidence demonstrating that the exceedances are attributable to natural sources.
2. Where the Commission has been informed of an exceedence attributable to natural sources in accordance with paragraph 1, that exceedence shall not be considered as an exceedance for the purposes of this Directive.
Article 20
Postponement of attainment deadlines and exemption from the obligation to apply certain limit values
1. Where, in a given zone or agglomeration, conformity with the limit values for nitrogen dioxide, benzene , PM10 or the target value for PM2,5 cannot be achieved by the deadlines specified in Annex XI or in Section C of Annex XIV, a Member State may postpone those deadlines by a maximum of four years from the entry into force of this Directive for that particular zone or agglomeration , if the Member State shows that all appropriate measures have been taken at national, regional and local level to meet the deadlines referred to above. A plan or a programme shall be drawn up for the zone or agglomeration in accordance with Article 21 demonstrating what measures will be taken in order to meet the limit or target values by the new deadline.
2. Where, in a given zone or agglomeration, conformity with the limit values for sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead as specified in Annex XI cannot be achieved because of site-specific dispersion characteristics, adverse climatic conditions or transboundary contributions, Member States shall be exempt from the obligation to apply those limit values until 31 December 2009 at the latest, provided that the conditions laid down in paragraph 1 are fulfilled.
3. Member States may postpone the deadlines for the limit values for PM10 and the target value for PM2,5 referred to in paragraph 1 by an additional period of a maximum of two years for a particular zone or agglomeration, when the plan or programme under paragraph 1 demonstrates that the limit or target values cannot be met, if the Member State shows that all appropriate measures have been taken at national, regional and local level to meet the deadlines referred to above, including implementation of the Directives referred to in point 10 of Annex XV by the deadlines specified in those legal acts. A revised plan or programme shall explain the causes for the exceedance after the deadlines mentioned above and shall demonstrate what measures will be taken in order to meet the limit or target values within the additional period.
4. Where a Member State applies paragraphs 1, 2 or 3 it shall ensure that the limit or target value for each pollutant is not exceeded by more than the maximum margin of tolerance specified for each of the pollutants concerned in Annexes XI or XIV.
5. Member States shall notify the Commission as well as all other Member States without delay where, in their view, paragraphs 1, 2 or 3 are applicable, and shall transmit the plans or programmes referred to in paragraph 1 including all relevant information necessary for the Commission to assess whether or not the relevant conditions are satisfied. When assessing whether or not the relevant conditions are satisfied, special regard will be given to what additional Community measures have been taken to help the Member States meet the relevant target and limit values.
Where the Commission has raised no objections within six months of receipt of that notification, the relevant conditions for the application of paragraph 1, 2 or 3 shall be deemed to be satisfied.
If objections are raised, the Commission may require Member States to adjust or provide new plans or programmes .
Chapter IV
Plans and Programmes
Article 21
Air quality plans or programmes
1. Where, in given zones or agglomerations, the levels of pollutants in ambient air exceed any limit value or target value, plus any relevant margin of tolerance in each case, Member States shall ensure that plans or programmes are established for those zones and agglomerations in order to achieve the related limit or target value specified in Annexes XI and XIV.
Those plans or programmes shall incorporate at least the information listed in Annex XV.
The plans and programmes may include measures pursuant to Article 22 .
The plans and programmes shall be drawn up with the proviso that, in the case of industrial installations within the scope of Directive 96/61/EC which apply the best available techniques as referred to in point 11 of Article 2 of that Directive, they shall not involve requirements which go beyond the application of the best available techniques. The plans and programmes shall be communicated to the Commission in an appropriate electronic form en bloc by a date to be determined pursuant to Article 26(2).
2. Member States shall, to the extent feasible, ensure consistency with other plans required under Directive 2001/80/EC, Directive 2001/81/EC or Directive 2002/49/EC in order to achieve the relevant environmental objectives.
3. The plans or programmes referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be subject to assessment under Directive 2001/42/EC.
Article 22
Short-term action plans
1. Where, in a given zone or agglomeration, there is a risk that the levels of pollutants in ambient air will exceed one or more of the limit values, target values or alert thresholds specified in Annexes VII, XI, XII and XIV , Member States shall, where this seems appropriate, draw up action plans indicating the measures to be taken in the short term in order to reduce that risk and to limit the duration of such an occurrence.
However, Member States shall only draw up such short-term action plans when in their opinion there is a significant potential, taking into account national geographical, meteorological and economic conditions, to reduce the risk, duration or severity of such an exceedance. When drawing up such a short-term action plan Member States shall take account of Decision 2004/279/EC.
2. The short-term action plans referred to in paragraph 1 may, depending on the individual case, provide for measures of proven short-term efficacy to control and, where necessary, suspend activities which are clearly responsible for the increased risk of the respective limit values or target value or alert threshold being exceeded. The second subparagraph of Article 21(1) shall apply mutatis mutandis.
3. Member States shall make available to the public and to appropriate organisations both the results of their investigations on the feasibility and the content of specific short-term action plans as well as information on the implementation of these plans. Appropriate organisations shall be deemed to comprise environmental organisations, consumer associations, organisations representing the interests of sensitive population groups, other relevant health care bodies and the relevant industrial federations.
4. As from ... (20) , the Commission shall regularly publish examples of best practice for the drawing up of short-term action plans.
Article 23
Transboundary air pollution
1. Where any alert threshold, limit value or target value plus any relevant margin of tolerance or longterm objective is exceeded due to significant transboundary transport of air pollutants or their precursors, the Member States concerned shall cooperate and, where appropriate, draw up joint activities, such as the preparation of joint or coordinated plans or programmes pursuant to Article 21 in order to remove such exceedences through the application of appropriate but proportionate measures.
2. The Commission shall be invited to be present and to assist in any cooperation referred to in paragraph 1. Where appropriate, the Commission shall, taking into account the reports established pursuant to Article 9 of Directive 2001/81/EC, consider whether further action should be taken at Community level in order to reduce precursor emissions responsible for transboundary pollution.
3. Member States shall, if appropriate pursuant to Article 22, prepare and implement joint short-term action plans covering neighbouring zones in other Member States. Member States shall ensure that neighbouring zones in other Member States which have developed short-term action plans receive all appropriate information.
4. Where the information threshold or alert thresholds are exceeded in zones or agglomerations close to national borders, information shall be provided as soon as possible to the competent authorities in the neighbouring Member States concerned. That information shall also be made available to the public.
5. In drawing up plans or programmes as provided for in paragraphs 1 and 3 and in informing the public as referred to in paragraph 4, Member States shall, where appropriate, pursue cooperation with third countries, and in particular with candidate countries.
Chapter V
Information and Reporting
Article 24
Public information
1. Member States shall ensure that the public as well as appropriate organisations such as environmental organisations, consumer organisations, organisations representing the interests of sensitive populations, other relevant health-care bodies and the relevant industrial federations are informed, adequately and in good time, of the following:
|
(a) |
ambient air quality in accordance with Annex XVI; |
|
(b) |
any postponement decisions pursuant to Article 20(1) and (3); |
|
(c) |
any exemptions pursuant to Article 20(2); |
|
(d) |
plans or programmes as provided for in Article 16(2), Article 20(1) and Article 21. |
The information shall be made available free of charge by means of any easily accessible media including the internet or any other appropriate means of telecommunication, and shall take into account the provisions laid down in Directive 2006/.../EC [establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (Inspire)].
2. Member State shall make available to the public annual reports for all pollutants covered by this Directive.
Those reports shall summarise the levels exceeding limit values, target values, long-term objectives, information thresholds and alert threshold, for the relevant averaging periods. That information shall be combined with a summary assessment of the effects of those exceedances. The reports may include, where appropriate, further information and assessments on forest protection as well as information on other pollutants for which monitoring provisions are specified in this Directive, such as, inter alia, selected nonregulated ozone precursor substances as listed in Section B of Annex X.
Article 25
Transmission of information and reporting
Member States shall ensure that information on ambient air quality is made available to the Commission.
Article 26
Amending and implementing measures
1. The Commission shall in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 27(3), amend, where necessary, Annexes I to VI, Annexes VIII to X and Annex XV.
However, the amendments may not have the effect of directly or indirectly modifying either of the following:
|
(a) |
the limit values, exposure reduction requirements, critical levels, target values, information or alert thresholds or long-term objectives specified in Annex VII and Annexes XI to XIV; |
|
(b) |
dates for the compliance with any of the parameters referred to in point (a). |
2. The Commission shall, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 27(3) , determine the information to be made available by Member States pursuant to Article 25.
The Commission shall also identify ways of streamlining the way such data are reported and the reciprocal exchange of information and data from networks and individual stations measuring ambient air pollution within the Member States, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 27(2).
3. The Commission shall draw up guidelines for the agreements on setting up common measuring stations as referred to in Article 6(5).
4. The Commission shall publish guidance on the demonstration of equivalence referred to in Section B of Annex VI.
Chapter VI
Committee, transitional and final provisions
Article 27
Committee
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee, called ‘the Ambient Air Quality Committee’, hereinafter ‘the Committee’.
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months.
3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
Article 28
Penalties
The Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive .
Article 29
Repeal and transitional provisions
1. Directives 96/62/EC, 1999/30/EC, 2000/69/EC, and 2002/3/EC are repealed as from the date indicated in Article 32(1) of this Directive, without prejudice to the obligations on the Member States relating to timelimits for transposition or application of those Directives.
However, the following Articles shall remain in force:
|
(a) |
Article 5 of Directive 96/62/EC until 31 December 2010; |
|
(b) |
Article 11(1) of Directive 96/62/EC and Article 10(1) and (2) of Directive 2002/3/EC until the entry into force of the implementing measures referred to in Article 26(2) of this Directive; |
|
(c) |
Article 9(3) and (4) of Directive 1999/30/EC until 31 December 2009. |
2. References to the repealed Directives shall be construed as references to this Directive and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex XVIII.
3. Decision 97/101/EC is repealed with effect from the entry into force of the implementing measures referred to in Article 26(2) of this Directive.
Article 30
Review
The Commission shall review, within five years following the entry into force of this Directive, the provisions related to PM2,5 and PM10, taking account of the latest scientific knowledge. In particular the Commission shall propose a detailed approach to establish legally binding exposure reduction obligations which take account of air quality situations and reduction potentials in the Member States. In the review, the Commission shall ascertain whether it is sufficient to continue to set limit values for PM10 or whether these should be replaced with limit values for PM2,5 .
Article 31
Community measures to reduce emissions at source
If the necessary Community measures to reduce emissions at source, as referred to in Annex XVII, have not entered into force by 1 January 2010, a Member State shall be granted a derogation period for PM2,5 and PM10 of two years from 1 January 2010 onwards, if it is taking the necessary steps to reduce air pollution. The total derogation period shall not exceed the periods specified in Article 20(1) and (3).
Article 32
Transposition
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by ... (21). They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions and a correlation table between those provisions and this Directive.
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Article 33
This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Article 34
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at ..., on ...
For the European Parliament
The President
For the Council
The President
(1) OJ C 195, 18.8.2006, p. 84 .
(2) OJ C 206, 29.8.2006, p. 1 .
(3) Position of the European Parliament of 26 September 2006.
(4) OJ L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 296, 21.11.1996, p. 55. Directive as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).
(6) OJ L 163, 29.6.1999, p. 41. Directive as amended by Commission Decision 2001/744/EC (OJ L 278, 23.10.2001, p. 35).
(7) OJ L 313, 13.12.2000, p. 12.
(9) OJ L 35, 5.2.1997, p. 14. Decision as amended by Commission Decision 2001/752/EC (OJ L 282, 26.10.2001, p. 69).
(10) OJ L 23, 26.1.2005, p. 3.
(11) OJ L 171, 27.6.1981, p. 11.
(12) OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 22. Directive as amended by the Act of Accession 2003.
(13) OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 1. Directive as amended by the Act of Accession 2003.
(14) OJ L 189, 18.7.2002, p. 12.
(15) OJ L 87, 25.3.2004, p. 50.
(16) OJ L 197, 21.7.2001, p. 30.
(17) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996, p. 26. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 33, 4.2.2006, p. 1).
(18) OJ L ...
(19) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L 200, 22.7.2006, p. 11).
(20) 12 months after the entry into force of this Directive.
(21) 12 months after the entry into force of this Directive.
ANNEX I
DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES
A. DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR AMBIENT AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT
|
|
Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide |
Benzene |
Particulate matter (PM10/PM2,5) and lead |
Ozone and related NO and NO2 |
|
Fixed measurements (1) |
|
|
|
|
|
Uncertainty |
15 % |
25 % |
25 % |
15 % |
|
Minimum data capture |
90 % |
90 % |
90 % |
90% during summer 75 % during winter |
|
Minimum time coverage: |
|
|
|
|
|
— urban background and traffic |
|
35 % (2) |
|
|
|
— industrial sites |
|
90 % |
|
|
|
Indicative measurements |
|
|
|
|
|
Uncertainty |
25 % |
30 % |
50 % |
30% |
|
Minimum data capture |
90 % |
90 % |
90 % |
90% |
|
Minimum time coverage |
14 % (3) |
14 % (4) |
14 % (3) |
>10 % during summer |
|
Modelling uncertainty: |
|
|
|
|
|
Hourly |
50 % |
— |
|
|
|
Eight-hour averages |
50 % |
|
|
|
|
Daily averages |
50 % |
— |
not yet defined |
50% |
|
Yearly averages |
30 % |
50 % |
50 % |
50% |
|
Uncertainty of objective estimation |
75 % |
100 % |
100% |
75 % |
The uncertainty (expressed at a 95 % confidence level) of the assessment methods will be evaluated in accordance with the principles of the CEN Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (ENV 13005-1999), the methodology of ISO 5725:1994 and the guidance provided in the CEN report ‘Air Quality — Approach to Uncertainty Estimation for Ambient Air Reference Measurement Methods’ (CR 14377:2002E). The percentages for uncertainty in the above table are given for individual measurements averaged over the period considered by the limit value, for a 95 % confidence interval. The uncertainty for the fixed measurements shall be interpreted as being applicable in the region of the appropriate limit value.
The uncertainty for modelling and objective estimation is defined as the maximum deviation of the measured and calculated concentration levels, over the period considered, by the limit value, without taking into account the timing of the events.
The requirements for minimum data capture and time coverage do not include losses of data due to the regular calibration or the normal maintenance of the instrumentation.
B. RESULTS OF AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT
The following information shall be compiled for zones or agglomerations within which sources other than measurement are employed to supplement information from measurement or as the sole means of air quality assessment:
|
— |
a description of assessment activities carried out; |
|
— |
the specific methods used, with references to descriptions of the method; |
|
— |
the sources of data and information; |
|
— |
a description of results, including uncertainties and, in particular, the extent of any area or, if relevant, the length of road within the zone or agglomeration over which concentrations exceed any limit value, target value or long-term objective plus margin of tolerance, if applicable, and of any area within which concentrations exceed the upper assessment threshold or the lower assessment threshold; |
|
— |
the population potentially exposed to levels in excess of any limit value. |
C. QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR AMBIENT AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT: DATA VALIDATION
|
1. |
To ensure accuracy of measurements and compliance with the data quality objectives laid down in Section A of this Annex, the appropriate competent authorities and bodies designated pursuant to Article 3 shall ensure the following:
|
|
2. |
All reported data shall be deemed to be valid. |
(1) M(1) Member States may apply random measurements instead of continuous measurements for benzene and particulate matter if they can demonstrate to the Commission that the uncertainty, including the uncertainty due to random sampling, meets the quality objective of 25 % and the time coverage is still larger than the minimum time coverage for indicative measurements. Random sampling must be evenly distributed over the year in order to avoid skewing of results. The uncertainty due to random sampling may be determined by the procedure laid down in ISO 11222 (2002) ‘Air Quality — Determination of the Uncertainty of the Time Average of Air Quality Measurements’. If random measurements are used to assess the number of exceedences (N[estimate]) of the PM10 daily limit value, the following correction should be applied: N[estimate] = N[measurement] x 365 days/number of measured days.
(2) Distributed over the year to be representative of various conditions for climate and traffic.
(3) One measurement a week at random, evenly distributed over the year, or 8 weeks evenly distributed over the year.
(4) One day's measurement a week at random, evenly distributed over the year, or 8 weeks evenly distributed over the year.
ANNEX II
DETERMINATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSESSMENT OF CONCENTRATIONS OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN, PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10 and PM2,5), LEAD, CARBON MONONXIDE AND BENZENE IN AMBIENT AIR WITHIN A ZONE OR AGGLOMERATION
A. UPPER AND LOWER ASSESSMENT THRESHOLDS
The following upper and lower assessment thresholds will apply:
|
(a) |
Sulphur dioxide
|
|
(b) |
Nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen
|
|
(c) |
Particulate matter (PM10/PM2,5)
|
|
(d) |
Lead
|
|
(e) |
Benzene
|
|
(f) |
Carbon Monoxide
|
B. DETERMINATION OF EXCEEDENCES OF UPPER AND LOWER ASSESSMENT THRESHOLDS
Exceedances of upper and lower assessment thresholds shall be determined on the basis of concentrations during the previous five years where sufficient data are available. An assessment threshold shall be deemed to have been exceeded if it has been exceeded during at least three separate years out of those previous five years.
Where fewer than five years' data are available, Member States may combine measurement campaigns of short duration during the period of the year and at locations likely to be typical of the highest pollution levels with results obtained from information from emission inventories and modelling to determine exceedances of the upper and lower assessment thresholds.
ANNEX III
LOCATION OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN, PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10 and PM2,5), LEAD, CARBON MONOXIDE AND BENZENE IN AMBIENT AIR
The following shall apply to fixed measurements:
A. MACROSCALE SITING
(a) Protection of human health
|
1. |
Sampling points directed at the protection of human health shall be sited in such a way as to provide data on the following:
|
|
2. |
Sampling points shall in general be sited in such a way as to avoid measuring very small microenvironments in their immediate vicinity, which means that a sampling point must be sited in such a way that the air sampled is representative of air quality in a surrounding area of no less than 200 m2 at traffic-orientated sites and at least 250 m x 250 m at industrial sites, where feasible. |
|
3. |
Urban background sites shall be located so that their pollution level is influenced by the integrated contribution from all sources upwind of the station. The pollution level should not be dominated by a single source unless such a situation is typical for a larger urban area. Those sampling points shall typically be representative for several square kilometres. |
|
4. |
Where the objective is to assess background levels, the sampling site shall not be influenced by agglomerations or industrial sites in its vicinity, i.e. sites closer than a few kilometres. |
|
5. |
Where contributions from industrial sources are to be assessed, at least one sampling point shall beinstalled downwind of the source in the nearest residential area. Where the background concentration is not known, an additional sampling point shall be situated within the main wind direction. |
|
6. |
Sampling points shall, where possible, also be representative of similar locations not in their immediate vicinity. |
|
7. |
Account shall be taken of the need to locate sampling points on islands where that is necessary for the protection of human health. |
(b) Assessment of compliance with limit values for the protection of human health
Member States shall ensure that the values for sulphur dioxide, PM10, lead and carbon monoxide in the air do not exceed the limit values stated in Annex XI anywhere in their territory.
Compliance with the limit values shall not be assessed at the following locations:
|
— |
in any place where, in accordance with the criteria in this Annex, no sampling points for pollutants to which the Annex applies are sited; |
|
— |
in areas to which the public do not have access or which are uninhabited or not permanently inhabited; |
|
— |
on factory premises or at industrial installations to which all relevant provisions concerning health and safety at work apply and to which the public do not have access; |
|
— |
on roads, traffic islands and the central reservations of motorways and expressways; |
|
— |
in areas where the general public is not directly or indirectly exposed for a significant period. |
(c) Protection of vegetation
Sampling points targeted at the protection of vegetation shall be sited more than 20 km away from agglomerations or more than 5 km away from other built-up areas, industrial installations or motorways, which means that a sampling point must be sited in such a way that the air sampled is representative of air quality in a surrounding area of at least 1 000 km2. A Member State may provide for a sampling point to be sited at a lesser distance or to be representative of air quality in a less extended area, taking account of geographical conditions.
Account shall be taken of the need to assess air quality on islands.
B. MICROSCALE SITING
In so as far as is practicable the following shall apply:
|
— |
the flow around the inlet sampling probe shall be unrestricted (free in an arc of at least 270°) without any obstructions affecting the airflow in the vicinity of the sampler (normally as many metres away from buildings, balconies, trees and other obstacles as corresponds to more than twice the height by which the obstacle protrudes above the sampler; at least 0,5 m from the nearest building in the case of sampling points representing air quality at the building line); |
|
— |
in general, the inlet sampling point shall be between 1,5 m (the breathing zone) and 4 m above the ground. Higher positions (up to 8 m) may be necessary in some circumstances. Higher siting may also be appropriate if the station is representative of a large area; |
|
— |
the inlet probe shall not be positioned in the immediate vicinity of sources in order to avoid the direct intake of emissions unmixed with ambient air; |
|
— |
the sampler's exhaust outlet shall be positioned so that recirculation of exhaust air to the sampler inlet is avoided; |
|
— |
for all pollutants, traffic-orientated sampling probes shall be at least 25 m from the edge of major junctions and no more than 10 m from the kerbside. |
The following factors may also be taken into account:
|
— |
interfering sources; |
|
— |
security; |
|
— |
access; |
|
— |
availability of electrical power and telephone communications; |
|
— |
visibility of the site in relation to its surroundings; |
|
— |
safety of the public and operators; |
|
— |
the desirability of co-locating sampling points for different pollutants; |
|
— |
planning requirements. |
C. DOCUMENTATION AND REVIEW OF SITE SELECTION
The site-selection procedures shall be fully documented at the classification stage by such means as compass- point photographs of the surrounding area and a detailed map. Sites shall be reviewed at regular intervals with repeated documentation to ensure that selection criteria remain valid over time.
ANNEX IV
MEASUREMENTS AT BACKGROUND LOCATIONS IRRESPECTIVE OF CONCENTRATION
A. OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of such measurements are to ensure that adequate information is made available on levels in the background. This information is essential to judge the enhanced levels in more polluted areas (such as urban background, industry related locations, traffic related locations), assess the possible contribution from long range transport of air pollutants and to support source apportionment analysis. It is essential for the understanding of specific pollutants such as particulate matter. Further, this background information is essential for the increased use of modelling also in urban areas.
B. SUBSTANCES
Measurement of PM2,5 must include at least the mass concentration and appropriate compounds to characterise its chemical composition. At least the list of chemical species given below shall be included.
|
SO4 2- |
Na+ |
NH4 + |
Ca2+ |
elemental carbon (EC) |
|
NO3 - |
K+ |
Cl- |
Mg2+ |
organic carbon (OC) |
C. SITING
Measurements should be taken in particular in rural background areas in accordance with parts A, B, and C of Annex III.
ANNEX V
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING MINIMUM NUMBERS OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENT OF CONCENTRATIONS OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN, PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10, PM2,5), LEAD, CARBON MONOXIDE AND BENZENE IN AMBIENT AIR
A. MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENT TO ASSESS COMPLIANCE WITH LIMIT VALUES OR TARGET VALUES FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH AND ALERT THRESHOLDS IN ZONES AND AGGLOMERATIONS WHERE FIXED MEASUREMENT IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION
(a) Diffuse sources
|
Population of agglomeration or zone (thousands) |
If concentrations exceed the upper assessment threshold (1) |
If maximum concentrations are between the upper and lower assessment thresholds |
||
|
Pollutants other than PM2,5 |
PM2,5 |
Pollutants other than PM2,5 |
PM2,5 |
|
|
0-249 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
250-499 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
500-749 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
750-999 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 000-1 499 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
1 500-1 999 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
2 000-2 749 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
2 750-3 749 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
3 750-4 749 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
|
4 750-5 999 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
|
≥ 6 000 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
(b) Point sources
For the assessment of pollution in the vicinity of point sources, the number of sampling points for fixed measurement shall be calculated taking into account emission densities, the likely distribution patterns of ambient-air pollution and the potential exposure of the population.
B. MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENT TO ASSESS COMPLIANCE WITH THE PM2,5 EXPOSURE REDUCTION TARGET FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH
One sampling point per million inhabitants applied to agglomerations and additional conurbations in excess of 100 000 inhabitants shall be operated for this purpose. Those sampling points may coincide with sampling points under Section A.
C. MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENTS TO ASSESS COMPLIANCE WITH CRITICAL LEVELS FOR THE PROTECTION OF VEGETATION IN ZONES OTHER THAN AGGLOMERATIONS
|
If maximum concentrations exceed the upper assessment threshold |
If maximum concentrations are between upper and lower assessment threshold |
|
1 station every 20 000 km2 |
1 station every 40 000 km2 |
In island zones the number of sampling points for fixed measurement should be calculated taking into account the likely distribution patterns of ambient-air pollution and the potential exposure of vegetation.
(1) For nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and benzene: to include at least one urban background monitoring station and one traffic-orientated station provided this does not increase the number of sampling points. The total number of urban-background stations and the total number of traffic oriented stations in a Member State shall not differ by more than a factor of 2.
ANNEX VI
REFERENCE METHODS FOR ASSESSMENT OF CONCENTRATIONS OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN, PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10 AND PM2,5), LEAD, CARBON MONOXIDE, BENZENE AND OZONE
A. REFERENCE MEASUREMENT METHODS
1. Reference method for the measurement of sulphur dioxide
The reference method for the measurement of sulphur dioxide is that described in EN 14212:2005 ‘Ambient air quality — Standard method for the measurement of sulphur dioxide by ultraviolet fluorescence’.
2. Reference method for the measurement of nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen
The reference method for the measurement of nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen is that described in EN 14211:2005 ‘Ambient air quality — Standard method for the measurement of the concentration of nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen monoxide by chemiluminescence’.
3. Reference method for the sampling and measurement of lead
The reference method for the sampling of lead is that described in Section A(4) of this Annex. The reference method for the measurement of lead is that described in EN 14902:2005 ‘Reference method for determination of Pb/Cd/As/Ni in ambient air’.
4. Reference method for the sampling and measurement of PM10
The reference method for the sampling and measurement of PM10 is that described in EN 12341:1999 ‘Air Quality — Determination of the PM10 fraction of suspended particulate matter — Reference method and field test procedure to demonstrate reference equivalence of measurement methods’.
5. Reference method for the sampling and measurement of PM2,5
The reference method for the sampling and measurement of PM2,5 is that described EN 14907:2005 ‘Standard gravimetric measurement method for the determination of the PM2,5 mass fraction of suspended particulate matter in Ambient air’.
6. Reference method for the sampling and measurement of benzene
The reference method for the measurement of benzene is that described in EN 14662:2005, parts 1, 2 and 3 ‘Ambient air quality — Reference method for measurement of benzene concentrations’.
7. Reference method for the measurement of carbon monoxide
The reference method for the measurement of carbon monoxide is that described in EN 14626:2005 ‘Ambient air quality — Standard method for the measurement of the concentration of carbon monoxide by nondispersive infrared spectroscopy’.
8. Reference method for measurement of ozone
The reference method for the measurement of ozone is that described in EN 14625:2005 ‘Ambient air quality — Standard method for the measurement of the concentration of ozone by ultraviolet photometry’.
B. DEMONSTRATION OF EQUIVALENCE
1. A Member State may use any other method which it can demonstrate gives results equivalent to any of the methods referred to in Section A or, in the case of particulate matter, any other method which the Member State concerned can demonstrate displays a consistent relationship to the reference method. In that event the results achieved by that method must be corrected to produce results equivalent to those that would have been achieved by using the reference method.
2. The Commission may require the Member States to prepare and submit a report on the demonstration of equivalence in accordance with paragraph 1.
3. When assessing the acceptability of the report mentioned in paragraph 2, the Commission will make reference to its guidance on the demonstration of equivalence (to be published). Where Member States have been using interim factors to approximate equivalence then these shall be confirmed and/or amended with reference to the Commission's guidance.
4. Member States should ensure that whenever appropriate, the correction is also applied retroactively to past measurement data in order to achieve better data comparability.
C. STANDARDISATION
For gaseous pollutants the volume must be standardised at a temperature of 293 K and an atmospheric pressure of 101,3 kPa. For particulate matter and substances to be analysed in particulate matter (e.g. lead) the sampling volume refers to ambient conditions.
ANNEX VII
OZONE TARGET VALUES AND LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES
1. Definitions and criteria
(a) Definitions
AOT40 (expressed in (μg/m3)•hours) means the sum of the difference between hourly concentrations greater than 80 μg/m3 (= 40 parts per billion) and 80 μg/m3 over a given period using only the 1-hour values measured between 8:00 and 20:00 Central European Time each day (1).
(b) Criteria
The following criteria shall be used for checking validity when aggregating data and calculating statistical parameters:
|
Parameter |
Required proportion of valid data |
|
1 hour values |
75 % (i.e. 45 minutes) |
|
8 hours values |
75 % of values (i.e. 6 hours) |
|
Maximum daily 8 hours mean from hourly running 8 hours |
75 % of the hourly running 8 hours averages (i.e. 18 8-hourly averages per day) |
|
AOT40 |
90 % of the 1 hour values over the time period defined for calculating the AOT40 value (2) |
|
Annual mean |
90 % of the 1 hour values over summer (April to September) and 75 % over winter (January to March, October to December) seasons separately |
|
Number of exceedances and maximum values per month |
90 % of the daily maximum 8 hours mean values (27 available daily values per month) 90 % of the 1 hour values between 8:00 and 20:00 Central European Time |
|
Number of exceedances and maximum values per year |
5 out of 6 months over the summer season (April to September) |
2. Target values
|
Objective |
Averaging period |
Target value |
Date by which target value should be met |
|
Protection of human health |
Maximum daily 8-hour mean (4) |
120 μg/m3 not to be exceeded on more than 25 days per calendar year averaged over three years (5) |
2010 |
|
Protection of vegetation |
May to July |
AOT40 (calculated from 1 h values) 18 000 μg/m3 · h averaged over five years (5) |
2010 |
3. Long-term objectives
|
Objective |
Averaging period |
Long-term objective |
Date by which the longterm objective should be met |
|
Protection of human health |
Maximum daily 8-hour mean within a calendar year |
120 μg/m3 |
— |
|
Protection of vegetation |
May to July |
AOT40, (calculated from 1 h values) 6 000 μg/m3 · h |
— |
(1) Or the appropriate time for ultra-peripheral regions.
|
(NB) |
In cases where all possible measured data are not available, the following factor shall be used to calculate AOT40 values:
|
(3) being the number of hours within the time period of AOT40 definition, (i.e. 08:00 to 20:00 h CET from 1 May to 31 July each year, for vegetation protection and from 1 April to 30 September each year for forest protection).
(4) The maximum daily 8-hour mean concentration shall be selected by examining 8-hour running averages, calculated from hourly data and updated each hour. Each 8-hour average so calculated shall be assigned to the day on which it ends. i.e. the first calculation period for any one day will be the period from 17:00 on the previous day to 01:00 on that day; the last calculation period for any one day will be the period from 16:00 to 24:00 on the day.
(5) If the three or five year averages cannot be determined on the basis of a full and consecutive set of annual data, the minimum annual data required for checking compliance with the target values will be as follows:
|
— |
for the target value for the protection of human health: valid data for one year; |
|
— |
for the target value for the protection of vegetation: valid data for three years. |
ANNEX VIII
CRITERIA FOR CLASSIFYING AND LOCATING SAMPLING POINTS FOR ASSESSMENTS OF OZONE CONCENTRATIONS
The following apply to fixed measurements:
A. MACROSCALE SITING
|
Type of station |
Objectives of measurement |
Representativeness (1) |
Macroscale siting criteria |
|
Urban |
Protection of human health: to assess the exposure of the urban population to ozone, i.e. where population density and ozone concentration are relatively high and representative of the exposure of the general population |
A few km2 |
Away from the influence of local emissions such as traffic, petrol stations, etc.; Vented locations where well mixed levels can be measured; Locations such as residential and commercial areas of cities, parks (away from the trees), big streets or squares with very little or no traffic, open areas characteristic of educational, sports or recreation facilities |
|
Suburban |
Protection of human health and vegetation: to assess the exposure of the population and vegetation located in the outskirts of the agglomeration, where the highest ozone levels, to which the population and vegetation is likely to be directly or indirectly exposed, occur |
Some tens of km2 |
At a certain distance from the area of maximum emissions, downwind following the main wind direction/directions during conditions favourable to ozone formation; Where population, sensitive crops or natural ecosystems located in the outer fringe of an agglomeration are exposed to high ozone levels; Where appropriate, some suburban stations also upwind of the area of maximum emissions, in order to determine the regional background levels of ozone |
|
Rural |
Protection of human health and vegetation: to assess the exposure of population, crops and natural ecosystems to sub-regional scale ozone concentrations |
Sub-regional levels (a few km2) |
Stations can be located in small settlements and/or areas with natural ecosystems, forests or crops; Representative for ozone away from the influence of immediate local emissions such as industrial installations and roads; At open area sites, but not on summits of higher mountains |
|
Rural background |
Protection of vegetation and human health: to assess the exposure of crops and natural |
ecosystems to regional-scale ozone concentrations as well as exposure of the population Regional/ national/ continental levels (1 000 to 10 000 km2) |
Station located in areas with lower population density, e.g. with natural ecosystems, forests, far removed from urban and industrial areas and away from local emissions; Avoid locations which are subject to locally enhanced formation of ground-near inversion conditions, also summits of higher mountains; Coastal sites with pronounced diurnal wind cycles of local character are not recommended. |
For rural and rural background stations the location shall, where appropriate, be coordinated with the monitoring requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1091/94 of 29 April 1994 laying down certain detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 on the protection of the Community's forests against atmospheric pollution (2).
B. MICROSCALE SITING
In so far as is practicable the procedure on microscale siting in Section B of Annex III shall be followed, ensuring also that the inlet probe is positioned well away from such sources as furnaces and incineration flues and more than 10 m from the nearest road, with distance increasing as a function of traffic intensity.
C. DOCUMENTATION AND REVIEW OF SITE SELECTION
The procedures in Section C of Annex III shall be followed, applying proper screening and interpretation of the monitoring data in the context of the meteorological and photochemical processes affecting the ozone concentrations measured at the respective sites.
(1) Sampling points should, where possible, be representative of similar locations not in their immediate vicinity.
ANNEX IX
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENT OF CONCENTRATIONS OF OZONE
A. MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENTS TO ASSESS COMPLIANCE WITH TARGET VALUES, LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES AND INFORMATION AND ALERT THRESHOLDS WHERE SUCH MEASUREMENTS ARE THE SOLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION
|
Population (× 1 000) |
Agglomerations (urban and suburban) (1) |
Other zones (suburban and rural (1) |
Rural background |
|
< 250 |
|
1 |
1 station/50 000 km2 as an average density over all zones per country (2) |
|
< 500 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
< 1 000 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
< 1 500 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
< 2 000 |
3 |
4 |
|
|
< 2 750 |
4 |
5 |
|
|
< 3 750 |
5 |
6 |
|
|
> 3 750 |
1 additional station per 2 million inhabitants |
1 additional station per 2 million inhabitants |
B. MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENTS FOR ZONES AND AGGLOMERATIONS ATTAINING THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES
The number of sampling points for ozone shall, in combination with other means of supplementary assessment such as air quality modelling and colocated nitrogen dioxide measurements, be sufficient to examine the trend of ozone pollution and check compliance with the long-term objectives. The number of stations located in agglomerations and other zones may be reduced to one-third of the number specified in Section A. Where information from fixed measurement stations is the sole source of information, at least one monitoring station shall be kept. If, in zones where there is supplementary assessment, the result of this is that a zone has no remaining station, coordination with the number of stations in neighbouring zones shall ensure adequate assessment of ozone concentrations against long-term objectives. The number of rural background stations shall be 1 per 100 000 km2.
(1) At least 1 station in suburban areas, where the highest exposure of the population is likely to occur. In agglomerations at least 50 % of the stations shall be located in suburban areas.
(2) 1 station per 25 000 km2 for complex terrain is recommended.
ANNEX X
MEASUREMENTS OF OZONE PRECURSOR SUBSTANCES
A. OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of such measurements are to analyse any trend in ozone precursors, to check the efficiency of emission reduction strategies, to check the consistency of emission inventories and to help attribute emission sources to observed pollution concentrations.
An additional aim is to support the understanding of ozone formation and precursor dispersion processes, as well as the application of photochemical models.
B. SUBSTANCES
Measurement of ozone precursor substances shall include at least nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2), and the following VOC:
|
|
1-Butene |
Isoprene |
Ethyl benzene |
|
Ethane |
Trans-2-Butene |
n-Hexane |
m+p-Xylene |
|
Ethylene |
cis-2-Butene |
i-Hexane |
o-Xylene |
|
Acetylene |
1,3-Butadiene |
n-Heptane |
1,2,4-Trimethylebenzene |
|
Propane |
n-Pentane |
n-Octane |
1,2,3- Trimethylebenzene |
|
Propene |
i-Pentane |
i-Octane |
1,3,5- Trimethylebenzene |
|
n-Butane |
1-Pentene |
Benzene |
Formaldehyde |
|
i-Butane |
2-Pentene |
Toluene |
Total non-methane hydrocarbons |
C. SITING
Measurements shall be taken in particular in urban and suburban areas at any monitoring site set up in accordance with the requirements of this Directive and considered appropriate with regard to the monitoring objectives referred to in Section A.
ANNEX XI
LIMIT VALUES FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH
|
Averaging Period |
Limit value |
Margin of tolerance |
Date by which limit value is to be met |
|
Sulphur dioxide |
|||
|
1 hour |
350 μg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 24 times a calendar year |
150 μg/ m3 (43 %) |
|
|
1 day |
125 μg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 3 times a calendar year |
None |
|
|
Nitrogen dioxide |
|||
|
1 hour |
200 μg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 18 times a calendar year |
50 % on 19 July 1999, decreasing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2010 |
1 January 2014 |
|
Calendar year |
40 μg/m3 |
50 % on 19 July 1999, decreasing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2010 |
1 January 2014 |
|
Carbon monoxide |
|||
|
max. daily 8-hour mean (1) |
10 mg/m3 |
60 % |
|
|
Benzene |
|||
|
Calendar year |
5 μg/m3 |
5 μg/m3 (100 %) on 13 December 2000, decreasing on 1 January 2006 and every 12 months thereafter by 1 μg/m3 to reach 0 % by 1 January 2010 |
1 January 2010 |
|
Lead |
|||
|
Calendar year |
0,5 μg/m3 |
100 % |
|
|
PM10 |
|||
|
1 day |
50 μg/ m3, not to be exceeded more than 35times a calendar year |
50 % |
until 31 December 2009 |
|
1 day |
50 μg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 35 times a calendar year (2) |
50% |
1 January 2010 |
|
Calendar year |
40 μg/m3 |
20 % |
until 31 December 2009 |
|
Calendar year |
33 μg/m3 |
20% |
1 January 2010 |
(1) The maximum daily 8-hour mean concentration will be selected by examining 8-hour running averages, calculated from hourly data and updated each hour. Each 8-hour average so calculated will be assigned to the day on which it ends i.e. the first calculation period for any one day will be the period from 17:00 on the previous day to 01:00 on that day; the last calculation period for any one day will be the period from 16:00 to 24:00 on that day.
(2) Unless this cannot be achieved because of site-specific dispersion characteristics, adverse meteorological or geographical conditions or significant transboundary contributions. Member States shall lay down the exact number of days the limit value can be exceeded, up to a maximum of 55 days, and forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of that provision.
ANNEX XII
INFORMATION AND ALERT THRESHOLDS
A. ALERT THRESHOLDS FOR POLLUTANTS OTHER THAN OZONE
To be measured over three consecutive hours at locations representative of air quality over at least 100 km2 or an entire zone or agglomeration, whichever is the smaller.
|
Pollutant |
Alert threshold |
|
Sulphur dioxide |
500 μg/m3 |
|
Nitrogen dioxide |
400 μg/m3 |
B. INFORMATION AND ALERT THRESHOLDS FOR OZONE
|
Purpose |
Averaging period |
Threshold |
|
Information |
1 hour |
180 μg/m3 |
|
Alert |
1 hour (1) |
240 μg/m3 |
(1) For the implementation of Article 18, the exceedance of the threshold is to be measured or predicted for three consecutive hours.
ANNEX XIII
CRITICAL LEVELS FOR THE PROTECTION OF VEGETATION
|
Averaging period |
Critical Level |
Margin of tolerance |
Date by which Critical Level is to be met |
|
Sulphur dioxide |
|||
|
Calendar year and winter (1 October to 31 March) |
20 μg/m3 |
None |
|
|
Oxides of nitrogen |
|||
|
Calendar year |
30 μg/m3 |
None |
|
ANNEX XIV
EXPOSURE REDUCTION TARGET AND TARGET VALUE AND LIMIT VALUE FOR PM2,5
A. AVERAGE EXPOSURE INDICATOR
The Average Exposure Indicator expressed in μg/m3 (AEI) shall be based upon measurements in urban background locations in zones and agglomerations throughout the territory of a Member State. It should be assessed as a 3-calendar year running annual mean concentration averaged over all sampling points established pursuant to Articles 6 and 7. The AEI for the reference year 2010 shall be the mean concentration of the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. Similarly, the AEI for the year 2020 shall be the 3-year running mean concentration averaged over all sampling points for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020.
B. EXPOSURE REDUCTION TARGET
|
Exposure Reduction Target relative to the AEI in 2010 |
Date by which the exposure reduction target should be met |
|
|
Initial concentration in μg/m3 |
Exposure Reduction Target in percent |
2020 |
|
< 10 |
0% |
|
|
= 10 — <15 |
10% |
|
|
= 15 — <20 |
15% |
|
|
= 20 — < 25 |
20% |
|
|
>25 |
All appropriate measures to achieve the target of 20 μg/m3 |
|
Where the AEI in the reference year is 10 μg/m3 or less the exposure reduction target shall be zero.
C. TARGET VALUE AND LIMIT VALUE
|
Averaging Period |
Target value |
Margin of tolerance (1) |
Date by which target value should be met |
|
Calendar year |
20 μg/m3 |
|
1 January 2010 |
|
Averaging Period |
Limit valu |
Margin of tolerance (2) |
Date by which limit value is to be met |
|
Calendar year |
20 μg/m3 |
20% on the entry into force of this Directive, decreasing on the next 1 January following and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2015 |
1 January 2015 |
(1) The maximum margin of tolerance applies also in accordance with Article 15(4).
(2) The maximum margin of tolerance applies also in accordance with Article 15(4).
ANNEX XV
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LOCAL, REGIONAL OR NATIONAL PLANS OR PROGRAMMES FOR IMPROVEMENT IN AMBIENT AIR QUALITY UNDER ARTICLE 21
|
1. |
Localisation of excess pollution
|
|
2. |
General information
|
|
3. |
Responsible authorities Names and addresses of persons responsible for the development and implementation of improvement plans. |
|
4. |
Nature and assessment of pollution
|
|
5. |
Origin of pollution
|
|
6. |
Analysis of the situation
|
|
7. |
Details of those measures or projects for improvement which existed prior to the entry into force of this Directive, i.e:
|
|
8. |
Details of those measures or projects adopted with a view to reducing pollution following the entry into force of this Directive
|
|
9. |
Details of the measures or projects planned or being researched for the long term. |
|
10. |
Information concerning the status of implementation of the following Directives
|
|
11. |
Information on all air pollution abatement measures that have been planned for implementation in connection with the attainment of air quality objectives, including: at the level of agglomeration or zone:
at regional or national level:
|
|
12. |
List of the publications, documents, work, etc., used to supplement information required under this Annex. |
(3) OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 24.
(4) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996, p. 22.
(6) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998, p. 58.
(8) OJ L 121, 11.5.1999, p. 13.
(9) OJ L 332, 28.12.2000, p. 91.
(10) OJ L 143, 30.4.2004, p. 87.
(11) OJ L 114, 27.4.2006, p. 64 .
(12) OJ L 191, 22.7.2005, p. 59 .
(13) SEC(2004)1050.
ANNEX XVI
PUBLIC INFORMATION
|
1. |
Member States shall ensure that up-to-date information on ambient concentrations of the pollutants covered by this Directive is routinely made available to the public. |
|
2. |
Ambient concentrations provided shall be presented as average values according to the appropriate averaging period as laid down in Annex VII and Annexes XI to XIV. The information shall at least indicate any levels exceeding air quality objectives including limit values, target values, alert thresholds, information thresholds or long term objectives of the regulated pollutant. It shall also provide a short assessment in relation to the air quality objectives and appropriate information regarding effects on health, or, where appropriate, vegetation. |
|
3. |
Information on ambient concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, ozone and carbon monoxide shall be updated on at least a daily basis, and, wherever practicable, information shall be updated on an hourly basis. Information on ambient concentrations of lead and benzene, presented as an average value for the last 12 months, shall be updated on a three-monthly basis, and on a monthly basis, wherever practicable. |
|
4. |
Member States shall ensure that timely information about actual or predicted exceedances of alert thresholds, and any information threshold is provided to the public. Details supplied shall include at least the following information:
|
ANNEX XVII
MEASURES TO BE TAKEN AT SOURCE TO ENABLE MEMBER STATES TO ATTAIN AIR QUALITY LIMIT VALUES WITHIN THE SET TIME LIMITS
|
— |
inclusion of 20 to 50 megawatt combustion plants in Directive 96/61/EC; |
|
— |
EURO VI for heavy vehicles; |
|
— |
new standards for domestic heating installations; |
|
— |
measures coordinated at Community level to encourage ship owners to reduce emissions, and/or to introduce standards for emissions from ships' engines of EU ships, or new standards for emissions from ships' engines to be agreed at IMO level. |
ANNEX XVIII
CORRELATION TABLE
|
This Directive |
Directive 96/62/EC |
Directive 1999/30/EC |
Directive 2000/69/EC |
Directive 2002/3/EC |
|
Article 1 |
Article 1 |
Article 1 |
Article 1 |
Article 1 |
|
Article 2(1) to (5) |
Article 2(1) to (5) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(6) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(7) |
Article 2(8) |
Article 2(7) |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(8) |
Article 2(6) |
— |
— |
Article 2(9) |
|
Article 2(9) |
Article 2(7) |
Article 2(6) |
— |
Article 2(11) |
|
Article 2(10) |
— |
— |
— |
Article 2(12) |
|
Article 2(11) and (12) |
— |
Article 2(13) and (14) |
Article 2(a) and (b) |
— |
|
Article 2(13) |
— |
— |
— |
Article 2(10) |
|
Article 2(14) and (15) |
Article 2(9) and (10) |
Article 2(8) and (9) |
— |
Article 2(7) and (8) |
|
Article 2(16) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(17) and (18) |
— |
Article 2(11) and (12) |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(19), (20) and (21) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(22) |
— |
Article 2(10) |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(23) and (24) |
Article 6(5) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 2(25) |
— |
— |
— |
Article 2(13) |
|
Article 3, with the exception of paragraph (1)(f) |
Article 3 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 3(1)(f) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 4 |
Article 2(9) and (10), Article 6(1) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 5 |
— |
Article 7(1) |
Article 5(1) |
— |
|
Article 6(1) to (4) |
Article 6(1) to (4) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 6(5) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 7 |
— |
Article 7(2) and (3) with amendments |
Article 5(2) and (3) with amendments |
— |
|
Article 8 |
— |
Article 7(5) |
Article 5(5) |
— |
|
Article 9 |
— |
— |
— |
Article 9(1) 1st and 2nd subparagraphs |
|
Article 10 |
— |
— |
— |
Article 9(1) to (3) with amendments |
|
Article 11(1) |
— |
— |
— |
Article 9(4) |
|
Article 11(2) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 12 |
Article 9 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 13(1) |
— |
Articles 3(1), 4(1), 5 (1) and 6 |
Articles 3(1) and 4 |
— |
|
Article 13(2) |
— |
Articles 3(2) and 4(2) |
— |
— |
|
Article 13(3) |
— |
Article 5(5) |
— |
— |
|
Article 14 |
— |
Articles 3(1) and 4(1) with amendments |
— |
— |
|
Article 15 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 16(1) |
— |
— |
— |
Articles 3(1) and 4(1) |
|
Article 16(2) |
— |
— |
— |
Article 3(2) and (3) |
|
Article 16(3) |
— |
— |
— |
Article 4(2) |
|
Article 17 |
— |
— |
— |
Article 5 |
|
Article 18 |
Article 10 with amendments |
Article 8(3) |
— |
Article 6 with amendments |
|
Article 19 |
— |
Articles 3(4) and 5(4) with amendments |
— |
— |
|
Article 20 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 21 |
Article 8(1) to (4) with amendments |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 22 |
Article 7(3) with amendments |
— |
— |
Article 7 with amendments |
|
Article 23 |
Article 8(5) with amendments |
— |
— |
Article 8 with amendments |
|
Article 24 |
— |
Article 8 with amendments |
Article 7 with amendments |
Article 6 with amendments |
|
Article 25 |
Article 11 with amendments |
Article 5(2) second subparagraph |
— |
Article 10 with amendments |
|
Article 26(1) |
Article 12(1) with amendments |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 26(2) |
Article 11 with amendments |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 26(3) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 26(4) |
— |
Annex IX with amendments |
— |
— |
|
Article 27 |
Article 12(2) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 28 |
— |
Article 11 |
Article 9 |
Article 14 |
|
Article 29 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 30 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Article 31 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Article 32 |
Article 13 |
Article 12 |
Article 10 |
Article 15 |
|
Article 33 |
Article 14 |
Article 13 |
Article 11 |
Article 17 |
|
Article 34 |
Article 15 |
Article 14 |
Article 12 |
Article 18 |
|
Annex I |
— |
Annex VIII with amendments |
Annex VI |
Annex VII |
|
Annex II |
— |
Annex V with amendments |
Annex III |
|
|
Annex III |
— |
Annex VI |
Annex IV |
— |
|
Annex IV |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Annex V |
— |
Annex VII with amendments |
Annex V |
— |
|
Annex VI |
— |
Annex IX with amendments |
Annex VII |
Annex VIII |
|
Annex VII |
— |
— |
— |
Annex I, Annex III, Section II |
|
Annex VIII |
— |
— |
— |
Annex IV |
|
Annex IX |
— |
— |
— |
Annex V |
|
Annex X |
— |
— |
— |
Annex VI |
|
Annex XI |
— |
Annex I, Section I, Annex II, Section I, Annex III (with amendments) and Annex IV (unnchanged) |
Annexs I and II |
— |
|
Annex XII |
— |
Annex I, Section II, and Annex II, Section II |
— |
Annex II, Section I |
|
Annex XIII |
— |
Annex I, Section I, and Annex II, Section I |
— |
— |
|
Annex XIV |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Annex XV, points 1-9 and 12 |
Annex IV |
— |
— |
— |
|
Annex XV, points 10 and 11 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Annex XVI |
— |
Article 8 |
Article 7 |
Article 6 with amendments |
|
Annex XVII |
— |
— |
— |
— |
P6_TA(2006)0363
2004 discharge: Section I — European Parliament
1.
European Parliament decision on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2004, Section I — European Parliament (N6-0027/2005 — C6-0357/2005 — 2005/2091(DEC))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the European Union general budget for the financial year 2004 (1), |
|
— |
having regard to the revenue and expenditure account and balance sheet in respect of the financial year 2004 (C6-0357/2005), |
|
— |
having regard to the Internal Auditor's annual report, |
|
— |
having regard to the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors on the Implementation of the Budget, together with the institutions' replies (2), |
|
— |
having regard to the statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 248 of the EC Treaty (3), |
|
— |
having regard to Articles 272(10) and 275 of the EC Treaty and Article 179a of the Euratom Treaty, |
|
— |
having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (4), and in particular Articles 145, 146 and 147 thereof, |
|
— |
having regard to Article 13 of the Internal Rules for the implementation of the European Parliament's budget (5), |
|
— |
having regard to Article 147(1) of the Financial Regulation, pursuant to which each Community institution is required to take all appropriate steps to act on the observations accompanying the European Parliament's discharge decision, |
|
— |
having regard to Rules 71 and 74(3) of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to Article 5(1)(a), second subparagraph, of Annex V to its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A6-0119/2006), |
|
— |
having regard to the result of the vote in plenary on 27 April 2006 on the above report of the Committee on Budgetary Control, rejecting discharge by an overwhelming majority (three votes for, 591 against and 13 abstentions), at the rapporteur's request, as a result of which, under Article 5(1)(a), second subparagraph, of Annex V of the Rules of Procedure, discharge is deemed to be postponed (6), |
|
— |
having regard to the second report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A6-0280/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas the Court of Auditors pointed to weaknesses in supervisory and control systems (paragraph 9.16 of the Court's Annual Report), albeit mostly of a formal nature; whereas, according to the Court, the errors did not materially affect the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying administrative expenditure (paragraph 9.27 of the Court's Annual Report), |
|
B. |
whereas the Financial Regulation and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament as amended on 23 October 2002 (7) apply with effect from 1 January 2003 as regards procedural rules governing the discharge, |
|
C. |
whereas Parliament's Rules of Procedure were amended on 23 October 2002 to provide that discharge is to be given to the President rather than to the Secretary-General, |
|
1. |
Grants its President discharge for implementation of the budget for the financial year 2004; |
|
2. |
Sets out its comments in the resolution below; |
|
3. |
Instructs its President to forward this decision, and the resolution that forms an integral part of it, to the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors and the European Ombudsman and to have them published in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series). |
(2) OJ C 301, 30.11.2005, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 302, 30.11.2005, p. 100.
(4) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
(5) Bur/ann/fin — PE 349.540.
(6) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0158.
2.
European Parliament resolution with comments forming an integral part of the decision on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2004, Section I — European Parliament (N6-0027/2005 — C6-0357/2005 — 2005/2091(DEC))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the European Union general budget for the financial year 2004 (1), |
|
— |
having regard to the revenue and expenditure account and balance sheet in respect of the financial year 2004 (C6-0357/2005), |
|
— |
having regard to the Internal Auditor's annual report, |
|
— |
having regard to the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors on the Implementation of the Budget, together with the institutions' replies (2), |
|
— |
having regard to the statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 248 of the EC Treaty (3), |
|
— |
having regard to Articles 272(10) and 275 of the EC Treaty and Article 179a of the Euratom Treaty, |
|
— |
having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (4), and in particular Articles 145, 146 and 147 thereof, |
|
— |
having regard to Article 13 of the Internal Rules for the implementation of the European Parliament's budget (5), |
|
— |
having regard to Article 147(1) of the Financial Regulation, pursuant to which each Community institution is required to take all appropriate steps to act on the observations accompanying the European Parliament's discharge decision, |
|
— |
having regard to Rules 71 and 74(3) of and Annex V to its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to Article 5(1)(a), second subparagraph, of Annex V to its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A6-0119/2006), |
|
— |
having regard to the result of the vote in plenary on 27 April 2006 on the above report of the Committee on Budgetary Control, rejecting discharge by an overwhelming majority (three votes for, 591 against and 13 abstentions), at the rapporteur's request, as a result of which, under Article 5(1)(a), second subparagraph, of Annex V of the Rules of Procedure, discharge is deemed to be postponed (6), |
|
— |
having regard to the second report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A6-0280/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas the Court of Auditors pointed to weaknesses in supervisory and control systems (paragraph 9.16 of the Court's Annual Report), albeit mostly of a formal nature; whereas, according to the Court, the errors did not materially affect the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying administrative expenditure (paragraph 9.27 of the Court's Annual Report), |
|
B. |
whereas the Financial Regulation and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament as amended on 23 October 2002 (7) apply with effect from 1 January 2003 as regards procedural rules governing the discharge, |
|
C. |
whereas Parliament's Rules of Procedure were amended on 23 October 2002 to provide that discharge is to be given to the President rather than to the Secretary-General, |
|
D. |
whereas its resolution of 12 April 2005 (8) on the discharge for 2003 should be followed up and progress in implementing its recommendations assessed, |
|
E. |
whereas the Statute for Members of the European Parliament of 28 September 2005 (9), following the Council's agreement on 19 July 2005, will enter into force on the first day of the parliamentary term commencing in 2009, |
|
1. |
Points up the fact that, in many respects, 2004 was a special year because of a number of almost simultaneous events with a direct impact on Parliament's financial management: the accession of 10 new Member States, Parliament's elections, the entry into force of the new Staff Regulations, continuing implementation of the new Financial Regulation and the implementation of Parliament's in-house reform efforts (‘Raising the Game’); |
The European Parliament's accounts
|
2. |
Takes note of the figures with which Parliament's accounts for the financial year 2004 were closed, namely:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
3. |
Notes that, in 2004, 97,76% of the appropriations entered in Parliament's budget were committed, with a cancellation rate of 2,24 %, and that, as in previous years, a very high level of budget implementation was achieved; |
|
4. |
Calls on authorising officers by delegation to set out the reasons in their annual activity reports, as has already occurred to some extent, why budget appropriations have not been fully utilised; considers that account must be taken of those reasons during the following year's budgetary discussions; |
|
5. |
Notes that, in 2004, Parliament received revenue amounting to EUR 117 409 824 (2003: EUR 98 545 334); |
Parliament's property policy, focusing on the Winston Churchill (WIC) and Salvador de Madariaga (SDM) buildings
Accounts
|
6. |
Recalls that the high level of implementation for the 2004 budget is partly attributable to the consistent practice since 1992 of making ‘mopping-up’ transfers for the purposes of transferring any appropriations available at year-end to the budget lines for buildings and, in particular, for advance capital payments to reduce future interest payments, more than EUR 70 000 000 having been made available by means of a mopping-up transfer at the end of 2003 for the purchase of the Louise Weiss (LOW) building in Strasbourg and more than EUR 150 000 000 having been provided by means of the mopping-up transfer at the end of 2004 for the purchase of the D4 and D5 buildings in Brussels, which is equivalent to 12% of budget appropriations; |
|
7. |
Considers that repayments on buildings constitute a major saving for the taxpayer and therefore should be set as part of the budgetary strategy; |
|
8. |
Calls yet again on the budgetary authority to establish budget forecasts ensuring that the amounts entered in the draft budget reflect real requirements in Parliament's various policy areas so that huge transfers of appropriations are not systematically made at year-end for property policy purposes; |
|
9. |
Calls for the tendering procedures for the building of the extension to the KAD building in Luxembourg to be transparent and fair, these being the first construction tendering procedures to be managed by the Parliament itself; |
|
10. |
Welcomes the Secretary General's answer to the 2004 discharge questionnaire regarding the Parliament's use of the LOW building in Strasbourg that Parliament ‘is the sole owner of the LOW building in Strasbourg, and may use or dispose of it as it thinks fit’; |
WIC and SDM buildings
|
11. |
Recalls that in May 2006 the Committee on Budgetary Control, in response to the referral back of its report, set up an informal Working Group tasked with advising and assisting the rapporteur in connection with allegations made over the existing lease arrangements and the prospective purchase by Parliament of the WIC and SDM buildings in Strasbourg; |
|
12. |
Strongly regrets that, despite its budgetary control competence, the Committee only became aware of the allegations relating to the said arrangements from media reports, rather than, as should have been expected, from the administration or from the Bureau of the European Parliament, both of which had been fully aware of the allegations for several weeks; |
|
13. |
Notes that its responsible directorates-general made available all documents requested to the Working Group, including a special external audit and an internal audit, as well as legal advice; notes also that the City of Strasbourg also provided documents, upon request, although some queries concerning those documents remained insufficiently answered; strongly regrets that its requests for all relevant documentation from SCI Erasme, the private investor and owner of the buildings, were not acceded to; calls on the City of Strasbourg and SCI Erasme to answer all outstanding and subsequent questions promptly and with due regard for maximum transparency, so that this information can be factored in to the discharge procedure for the financial year 2005; |
|
14. |
Notes that in order to ensure full transparency, the Working Group immediately called for and obtained full public access to all relevant documentation held by the Parliament's administration on these buildings; |
|
15. |
Is aware that the discharge report reflects the financial situation of 2004; stresses, however, that such a report does not merely point out mistakes or acts of wrongdoing that have occurred in the past, but should also make recommendations on how to avoid them in the future; |
|
16. |
Recalls the existence of the rental agreement between SCI Erasme and the City of Strasbourg, which expires in 2010; feels strongly that when Parliament decides to purchase the WIC and/or SDM buildings, the aforementioned agreement cannot in any way have financial consequences for the Parliament; finds therefore that in that case the agreement should cease to exist; |
|
17. |
Points out that if its intention is to purchase the building, it should at the same time acquire the land; emphasises that at this stage it seems evident that the Parliament can only obtain the long lease held by SCI Erasme; believes therefore that the final acquisition of the land will be a matter between the Parliament and the City of Strasbourg and, if necessary, the French national authorities; |
|
18. |
Recalls however that the Court of Auditors has recently conducted an audit on buildings policy; points out that in its opinion the Court expressed concerns as to the use of the indexation rates used to calculate the total amount of the bi-annual rent; concludes further that the Court made it clear that the indexation could potentially be unfavourable to Parliament; |
|
19. |
Notes that the facts established by the Working Group, on the basis of information made available to it, are the following:
|
|
20. |
Draws the following conclusions from what has been experienced:
|
|
21. |
Expects that Parliament will continue its work of examining the rental and contractual agreements and related documents between the City of Strasbourg, SCI Erasme and the Parliament in order to establish all the facts; |
|
22. |
Welcomes the report on the additional audit carried out by the European Court of Auditors concerning the renting by the Parliament of the WIC and SDM buildings and endorses its conclusions; |
Court of Auditors' comments on the financial year 2004
|
23. |
Notes that the Court of Auditors pointed to weaknesses in supervisory and control systems (paragraph 9.16 of the Court's Annual Report), albeit mostly of a formal nature; notes further that, according to the Court, the errors did not materially affect the legality and regularity of the transactions underlying administrative expenditure (paragraph 9.27); |
|
24. |
Notes that in 2004, when the new Staff Regulations and the new IT application for the calculation of officials' pay were virtually simultaneously introduced, mistakes were made not only due to the IT system but also because of difficulties in interpreting the Staff Regulations; notes that this was countered by stepping up ex post controls; |
|
25. |
Notes that a new travel expenses settlement procedure was introduced in 2005 in order to comply with the Financial Regulation; |
|
26. |
Attaches considerable importance to the Court of Auditors' comments, which, to some extent, tally with the Internal Auditor's findings, namely that there are still weaknesses in supervisory and control systems; takes the view that those weaknesses are a matter of the utmost priority and asks the Court of Auditors and the Internal Auditor expressly to examine systemic improvements in the next annual report; |
Parliament's financial management
|
27. |
Notes that the analysis of financial management accompanying the 2004 accounts provides a useful statement of the principal financial events of the year under review, as well as a succinct summary of the activity reports of the directors-general; considers that this would be further enhanced, however, by a more standardised presentation of the activities of the directorates-general; |
|
28. |
Calls on the Secretary-General to draw up immediately, and as long since promised, a brief, accessible and attractive annual document to provide the public with more information on budgetary management in Parliament (10); |
|
29. |
Points out that a proportion of management activity in Parliament in 2004 was still geared to adjusting to the new requirements of the Financial Regulation, setting up new control systems, methodologies and working methods, devising training programmes and establishing new lines of responsibility; |
|
30. |
Notes that initial experience with applying the new Financial Regulation in an institution such as Parliament, which has an administrative budget to manage, indicates that in some cases overly complex systems and financial circuits have been set up; |
|
31. |
Calls on the Secretary-General to state how many staff members are currently engaged in control duties (ex ante control, internal audit) and, by comparison, how many staff members there were in the former Directorate for Financial Control; calls on the Secretary-General in this connection to produce a comparative analysis and appraisal of the new system and the former financial control system which establishes whether increased staff resource deployment can be justified; |
|
32. |
Reaffirms, yet again, the view expressed in paragraph 34 of its above mentioned resolution of 12 April 2005 and in its above mentioned resolution of 21 April 2004, as well as in its resolution of 8 April 2003 (11), that ‘the scope of the discharge procedure should cover not only the management activities of Parliament's Secretary-General and Administration, but also the decisions taken by its governing bodies, i. e. its President, Bureau and Conference of Presidents’; |
|
33. |
Strongly criticises its Bureau and competent committee for their inaction; calls on them to respond immediately to the request formulated in paragraphs 16 and 17 of its above mentioned resolution of 21 April 2004 for proposals intended to define the precise practical meaning of the political responsibility attaching to the members of Parliament's governing bodies as regards the exercise of powers and the taking of decisions with significant financial consequences; |
|
34. |
Calls on the Bureau to consult fully, in advance, the individuals affected by its decisions in order to make decision-taking processes transparent; calls furthermore on the Bureau to submit an annual activity report, which, in keeping with democratic accountability, should be a component of the budget dischargeprocedure; |
|
35. |
Stresses that Parliament grants discharge not to the Secretary-General, but, rather, to the President; therefore expects the President to make himself available to the Committee on Budgetary Control, during the discharge procedure, for a dialogue; |
The activity reports of the directors-general
|
36. |
Points out that Parliament's Secretary-General forwarded the 2004 activity reports of the directorsgeneral to the Committee on Budgetary Control on 21 April 2005; points out further in that connection that the Secretary-General, in his capacity as authorising officer by delegation, declared that he had been given reasonable assurances that Parliament's budget had been implemented in accordance with the principles of sound financial management and that the control framework put in place afforded the requisite guarantees as to the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions; |
|
37. |
Notes that the various activity reports differ widely in scope, length, form and the degree to which the information from services within directorates-general is incorporated; invites the Secretary-General, as proposed by the Court of Auditors last year (in paragraph 9.16 of the Court's Annual Report), to harmonise the presentation and structure of the activity reports in the future in order to make them more easily readable and comparable; |
|
38. |
Calls on its administration to forward to the Committee on Budgetary Control, in future, the final versions of the activity reports, including the authorising officers' declarations, together with all annexes; |
|
39. |
Welcomes the fact that all directors-general have issued a declaration of assurance for their departments' financial transactions; notes that only in one case — concerning procurement in DG Information — was reference made to weaknesses, though they do not represent a reservation; |
|
40. |
Recalls the proposal made in paragraph 30 of its above mentioned resolution of 12 April 2005 that for the sake of a better understanding of the true value of authorising officers' signed declarations it would be desirable in future years to adopt a standardised format clearly distinguishing between those matters calling for an ‘observation’ by the director-general, which do not call into question his declaration of assurance, and other more serious matters justifying a ‘reservation’; |
|
41. |
Notes that the conclusions in the activity reports identify the following general challenges:
|
The Internal Auditor's annual report
|
42. |
Highlights the fact that the Internal Auditor's annual report and the declarations and activity reports of the Secretary-General and the directors-general constitute a major part of the assessment both by the Court of Auditors and by Parliament's discharge authority; |
|
43. |
Points out that the internal control systems put in place by the authorising officers by delegation have the following control objectives: compliance with applicable legislation, rules and practices; the reliability of management information and records; and the economy, effectiveness and efficiency of operations; |
|
44. |
Points out further that authorising officers must comply with 22 minimum standards in order to realise those control objectives; notes that those standards can be grouped into five control categories: control environment, performance and risk management, information and communication, control activities and monitoring (audit and evaluation); |
|
45. |
Notes that, in 2004, the Internal Audit Service produced 13 reports on the internal monitoring and control framework in the directorates-general and examined the financial management of four of Parliament's Information Offices; |
|
46. |
Highlights the fact that the action plans adopted on the basis of the audit reports permit the following conclusions:
|
|
47. |
Considers that, on the basis of the experience gained, the responsible authorising officers by delegation must ensure that:
considers further that the Internal Auditor should verify the correct implementation of these measures in his review of the internal control framework; |
|
48. |
Notes that these priority areas are reflected in the Secretary-General's action plan, subject to the considerations set out in paragraph 47; |
|
49. |
Notes that the handling of procurement procedures and Members' parliamentary assistance allowances are the subject of ongoing audits; considers that the audit reports should be assessed during the budget discharge procedure for 2005; |
|
50. |
Asks the Internal Auditor to take account also of the principle of efficiency and economy in the management of funds in verifying the regularity and legality of expenditure operations; |
|
51. |
Asks the Internal Auditor not only to forward his annual reports to the Committee on Budgetary Control, but also to give an oral account of them; |
Procurement
|
52. |
Recalls that the Financial Regulation and its implementing rules (13), which entered into force on 1 January 2003, modified the procedures for planning, publishing and awarding procurement contracts; recalls further that the institutions forward to the budgetary authority reports on negotiated procedures and on contracts not falling under public procurement directives, that a list of contractors with contracts worth more than EUR 50 000, but less than the threshold under those directives, is published in the Official Journal, and that contracts worth between EUR 13 800 and EUR 50 000 are published on the institutions' websites; notes in addition that in 2003 it called on its Secretary-General to report annually on contracts concluded (14); |
|
53. |
Notes that the annual report contains the following information on contracts concluded in 2004:
|
|
54. |
Notes that the Internal Auditor is completing an institution-wide audit of the procurement process; calls on the Secretary-General to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control about the content of the report in an appropriate manner; |
|
55. |
Regrets the fact that, in 2004, the number and value of contracts awarded under open procedures fell considerably; calls on the Secretary-General to give reasons for this; |
|
56. |
Asks whether the contracts database required by Article 95 of the Financial Regulation has already been set up and is operational; |
|
57. |
Asks whether its suggestions made last year for changes to the Financial Regulation (15) (low-value contracts awarded through competitive tendering, electronic tendering information exchange) have been taken on board; |
Activities of the parliamentary committees
|
58. |
Points out that, under Article 276 of the EC Treaty, it is the task of Parliament to give the Commission discharge for implementation of the budget, this process encompassing all spending areas; regrets therefore that, because of Parliament's existing internal organisational provisions governing delegations in third states, it was not possible for the Committee on Budgetary Control to carry out, in time, the planned visit by the ad hoc delegation to the European Agency for Reconstruction in Kosovo; |
|
59. |
Calls therefore on Parliament's competent bodies to make it possible for the Committee on Budgetary Control, pursuant to its parliamentary obligations under the budget discharge procedure, to be able, where appropriate, to send small delegations to Member States and third states quickly, and without red tape, in order to carry out the necessary checks on the spot; |
Political groups (review of accounts and procedures — budget Item 3701)
|
60. |
Recalls that paragraph 2.7.3 of the Rules on the use of appropriations from budget Item 3701 (16) requires the Bureau and the Committee on Budgetary Control to deal with the audited annual accounts of the political groups in accordance with the powers conferred upon them by the Rules of Procedure; |
|
61. |
Reiterates that the political groups are themselves responsible for the management and use of their funds from Parliament's budget and that the remit of Parliament's Internal Audit Service does not extend to the conditions under which use is made of the appropriations against budget Item 3701 (approximately 3,2% of Parliament's total budget); |
|
62. |
Welcomes the fact that the political groups have published their internal financial rules and accounts for 2004 on Parliament's website; |
|
63. |
Asks whether the political groups have encountered problems when applying the principles of the new Financial Regulation and its implementing rules; |
|
64. |
Records the following outturn figures for appropriations entered against budget Item 3701 in 2004:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
65. |
Notes the confirmation by the political groups' external auditors that the accounts complied with current rules and international accounting standards; |
|
66. |
Notes that on 29 September 2005 the Bureau discussed and approved the political groups' reports on budget implementation and the auditors' reports; |
|
67. |
Notes that, as a rule, the political groups did not fully utilise the appropriations made available to them; |
|
68. |
Calls on the Commission and the Council to regulate definitively and comprehensively, in the forthcoming negotiations on reform of the Financial Regulation, how funds made available to the political groups from Parliament's budget are to be treated in law, as called for by Parliament in its position of 15 March 2006 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (20); |
Members' allowances
|
69. |
Welcomes the fact that the above mentioned Statute for Members of the European Parliament, following the Council's agreement on 19 July 2005, will enter into force on the first day of the parliamentary term commencing in 2009; |
|
70. |
Points out that the provisions of the Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members (21) were brought into line with the Financial Regulation in May 2004; |
|
71. |
Recalls the Bureau decision of 28 May 2003‘to initiate, once the plenary has adopted the Statute of Members of the European Parliament and in accordance with the calendar for the Statute's entry into force, the procedure for the adoption by the Bureau of new rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members ...’; calls on the Secretary-General to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control as to what measures the Bureau has taken to date; |
|
72. |
Calls on the Bureau to implement the plans already provided for in the Statute for Members, agreed by Parliament, to create a system, for those Members who so desire, to reimburse Members only for travel costs actually incurred; |
Secretarial assistance allowance
|
73. |
Notes that on 13 December 2004 the Bureau adopted amendments to the rules governing the secretarial assistance allowance (22) intended inter alia to ensure greater consistency between those rules and the requirements of the Financial Regulation; |
|
74. |
Regrets that, until July 2004, trainee contracts and service provider contracts with independent persons, companies or foundations were entered into the Parliament's computer system with the same code without regard for the type of contract or whether the contract referred to an assistant or a trainee; |
|
75. |
Regrets that insufficient information has been forwarded to the Secretary-General on the amounts of pay received by the high proportion of assistants employed through service providers; welcomes the information received from the Secretary-General on the amounts paid to assistants directly employed by Members or paid through a paying agent; |
|
76. |
Regrets that, as of 20 February 2006, 87,2 % of Members had not supplied the Parliament with statements of expenditure for their parliamentary assistance allowance, which were due by 1 November 2005 and as required by Articles 14(5)(e) and 14(6)(b) and (c) of the Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members, and which include declarations of their assistants' affiliation to a social security scheme if the assistant is covered by a service provider contract; regrets further that Parliament has not yet concluded framework contracts with companies specialised in the management in accordance with the applicable national law of tax and social security issues connected with employment contracts, as required by Article 14(5)(f) of the Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members and as has been requested at least from July 2004; |
|
77. |
Insists that sending individual communications to those Members who have not yet submitted documents would be the most efficient way of resolving the problem of missing documentation due from Members concerning expenditure from the parliamentary assistance allowance; |
|
78. |
Calls on the Bureau promptly to wind up discussions on the outcome of the work of the parliamentary working party on Members' assistants; calls on the Secretary-General to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control about the working party's proposals and the Bureau's decision; |
|
79. |
Calls on the Bureau to establish a statute for Members' assistants regulating inter alia recruitment and working conditions as well as social security and taxation arrangements; urges that this should enter into force as soon as possible; |
Voluntary pension scheme
|
80. |
Recalls that the Court of Auditors has pointed out in its Annual Reports for the last three years that a sufficient legal basis for Parliament's additional pension scheme must be created; recalls that, in addition, according to the Court, clear rules must be established to cover the eventuality of a deficit (23); notes however that the view of the Parliament's legal services is that ‘a sufficient legal basis for the additional pension scheme’ already exists under ‘the regulatory autonomy of the European Parliament laid down in Article 199 of the EC Treaty (formerly Article 142 of the EEC Treaty) which confers on the European Parliament the right to take whatever measures it requires for its internal organisation’ (24) and that furthermore ‘once the Members’ Statute comes into force, Article 27 of that Statute will constitute the legal basis for the Pension Fund'; |
|
81. |
Points, in addition, to this year's activity report of DG Finance, which, with regard to the additional pension scheme for the financial year 2004, lists the following:
|
|
82. |
Notes that, in November 2005, the additional pension fund had 475 members; notes further that they paid a monthly contribution from the general expenditure allowance — of EUR 948 (representing one third), and that Parliament paid EUR 1896 monthly (representing two thirds); notes also that in 2004, EUR 10 300 000 was entered in the budget for the voluntary pension scheme; |
|
83. |
Notes that, as at 31 December 2004, the pension fund recorded an actuarial deficit of EUR 43 756 745 and a funding level of 76,8 % and that, as at 31 December 2005, the deficit had fallen substantially to EUR 28 875 417 and the funding level had increased to 86,1% (25); |
|
84. |
Notes that, as from January 2005, a member can draw a monthly pension of EUR 1 276 from age 60 onwards and after only five years of contributions; |
|
85. |
Notes that the Bureau has not acted on the Court of Auditors' observations between 2002 and 2005; notes that, on 30 November 2005, the Bureau approved the following measures:
|
|
86. |
Takes the view that the relationship between Parliament and the pension fund should be placed on a contractual footing by the end of this year; calls on the Secretary-General to forward to the Committee on Budgetary Control, in December 2006, a report on progress achieved; |
|
87. |
Believes, furthermore, that Members' contributions to the voluntary pension scheme should be paid directly from personal income rather than through the parliamentary allowance system; notes, however, that in respect of the current contribution system in its Opinion No 5/99, the Court of Auditors arrived at the conclusion that from the Fund's and from the members point of view, the system has worked effectively. Additionally it has enabled Parliament to calculate its own payment obligations correctly since, according to the rules, Parliament has to pay the double of the amount effectively paid by the Members; notes that the Court saw no problems in maintaining the system provided that it was better defined and its operation set down in a formal document; |
|
88. |
Notes with concern that the deduction of contributions to the pension scheme from the general expenditure allowance leaves Members exposed to allegations that public funds may be put towards the cost of private pension contributions, and therefore calls on the Bureau to propose before 31 March 2007 measures to ensure that such payments are made directly by pension scheme members through direct debit orders; |
|
89. |
Notes that, after the Statute for Members of the European Parliament enters into force in 2009, Members will be treated equally and the additional pension fund will no longer be allowed to admit new members; takes the view furthermore that once the Statute for Members has entered into force:
|
Political parties at European level
|
90. |
Notes the following presentation of the accounts of the political parties at European level in 2004:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
91. |
Underscores the fact that the parties' external auditors have confirmed that the accounts comply with current rules and international accounting standards; |
|
92. |
Highlights the fact that parties at European level have not yet been able fully to utilise the appropriations available to them; |
|
93. |
Points out that, in its above-mentioned position of 15 March 2006 (26), it made a proposal on the legal treatment of the own resources of political parties at European level within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding (27); |
|
94. |
Recalls that its responsible committee will shortly be submitting a report on the application of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 and that that Regulation was applied for the first time in 2004; |
|
95. |
Calls on the Bureau to take account of the following considerations for a more efficient application of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003:
|
Recruitment of staff from the new Member States
|
96. |
Calls on the Secretary-General to report by the end of December 2006 on the progress achieved in recruiting staff from the new Member States by category (interpreters, translators, administrative staff, etc.); |
Expenditure for interpretation services (Court of Auditors' Special Report 5/2005)
|
97. |
Underscores the fact that multilingualism is one of the characteristic features of the European Union and gives expression to the Union's cultural and linguistic diversity and ensures equal treatment for its citizens; emphasises the fact that multilingualism guarantees the right of citizens to communicate with Union institutions in one of the Union's official languages, thereby making it possible for citizens to exercise their right to democratic control; |
|
98. |
Points out that it has conducted a detailed examination of the Court of Auditors' Special Report 5/2005 in a separate resolution; |
|
99. |
Recognises that its frequent journeys between its seats causes significantly higher costs in a number of areas of its activities, including interpretation, as concluded by the Court of Auditors in its Special Report 5/2005; |
Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Lawmaking: impact assessment
|
100. |
Points to its decision of 9 October 2003 on the conclusion of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Lawmaking (28) and notes the conclusions of the working party on impact assessment (29); accordingly is of the opinion that
|
|
101. |
Takes the view that the inclusion of impact assessments involves risks which might impair parliamentary work; accordingly is of the opinion that
|
|
102. |
Calls therefore on the Secretary-General and its competent bodies to explain how they propose to implement this aspect of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Lawmaking; |
Follow-up to the resolution on the discharge for implementation of the European Union general budget for the financial year 2003
|
103. |
Welcomes the fact that the Internal Audit Service's audit reports have been reflected in the Secretary-General's revised action plan, which has been forwarded by him to Parliament's competent bodies together with his declaration of assurance; recalls that the action plan contains 47 individual measures and calls on the Secretary-General to explain which of those measures he has set as priorities; |
|
104. |
Notes that Parliament ensures implementation of budget Item 3701 for non-attached Members and has certified the reliability of such implementation; recalls that documents relating to this budget item are published on its website; |
|
105. |
Notes that the Secretary-General's proposals firstly for a standard letter for selecting the groups'external auditors and secondly for the group chairmen's financial reports have been submitted to the Bureau for discussion and adoption; notes that a decision has not yet been taken and calls on the Bureau to inform the Committee on Budgetary Control of the outcome of these discussions; |
|
106. |
Notes that, in 2004, in preparation for applying the Statute for Members of the European Parliament, Parliament made a start on technically merging the management systems for the payment of allowances to Members of Parliament, which, until then, had been running independently of each other (the PAM Project — Portail Applicatif des Membres, or Members' Application Portal); |
|
107. |
Notes that the Disciplinary Board has completed its work on allocating responsibility in connection with the discrepancy of BEF 4 136 125 between the cash situation and the corresponding accounts in 1982; expects that amount, including interest, to be recovered; |
|
108. |
Notes with satisfaction that on 12 December 2005 the Bureau adopted the final report by the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) working group and that the report on the environmental management system within Parliament was posted on Parliament's website in February 2006; |
|
109. |
Notes that information technology services for Members have been further improved, in particular:
|
|
110. |
Insists that electronic signatures, for which the above mentioned pilot project is now in process, be introduced as soon as possible so that Members can sign documents such as amendments and parliamentary questions without having to forward documents on paper, which would increase the efficiency of Members' work in Parliament; |
|
111. |
Notes that the Quaestors decided on 16 November 2005 that committee documents would continue to be made available to committee members, but that hard-copy distribution of texts adopted in Strasbourg and press releases is being discontinued. |
(2) OJ C 301, 30.11.2005, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 302, 30.11.2005, p. 100.
(4) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
(5) Bur/ann/fin — PE 349.540.
(6) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0158.
(7) OJ C 300 E, 11.12.2003, p. 303.
(8) OJ L 196, 27.7.2005, p. 28.
(9) OJ L 262, 7.10.2005, p. 1.
(10) Secretary-General's reply to paragraph 9 of Parliament's resolution of 21 April 2004 on the discharge for 2002 (OJ L 330, 4.11.2004, p. 160).
(11) OJ L 148, 16.6.2003, p. 62.
(12) Paragraph 40 of its above mentioned resolution of 12 April 2005.
(13) Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 1). Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1261/2005 (OJ L 201, 2.8.2005, p. 3).
(14) Paragraph 90 of its above mentioned resolution of 8 April 2003.
(15) Paragraph 73 of its above mentioned resolution of 12 April 2005.
(16) Bureau decision of 30 June 2003.
(17) As per implementing provisions for budget Item 3701.
(18) Allocation only for the first half of 2004.
(19) Bureau decision of 29 September 2005.
(20) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0085, amendment 63.
(21) PE 113.116.
(22) Articles 14 to 16 of the Rules governing the payment of expenses and allowances to Members.
(23) OJ C 301, 20.11.2005, Table 9.2;OJ C 293, 30.11.2004, Table 9.3;OJ C 286, 28.11.2003, paragraph 9.15.
(24) Secretary General's Note to the Bureau of Parliament — Management of the Additional Voluntary Pension Scheme for Members, November 2005, PE 356.020/BUR./REV.
(25) Source: ASBL Pension Fund — 2005 annual accounts.
(26) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0085, amendment 99.
(27) OJ L 297, 15.11.2003, p. 1.
(28) OJ C 81 E, 31.3.2004, p. 84.
(29) Adonis: 03-DGIII(04)D/19596.
P6_TA(2006)0364
European Quality Charter for Mobility (education and training) ***I
European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility (COM(2005)0450 — C6-0291/2005 — 2005/0179(COD))
(Codecision procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2005) 0450) (1), |
|
— |
having regard to Article 251(2) and Articles 149(4) and 150(4) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C6-0291/2005), |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture and Education and the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A6-0255/2006), |
|
1. |
Approves the Commission proposal as amended; |
|
2. |
Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend the proposal substantially or replace it with another text; |
|
3. |
Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission. |
(1) Not yet published in OJ.
P6_TC1-COD(2005)0179
Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 26 September 2006 with a view to the adoption of a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 149(4) and Article 150(4) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (3),
Whereas:
|
(1) |
Mobility in education and training is an integral part of the freedom of movement of persons — a fundamental freedom protected by the Treaty — and one of the main objectives of the European Union's action in the field of education and training, based both on common values and on respect for diversity. It is an essential tool for creating a genuine European area of lifelong learning, for promoting employment and reducing poverty, and for helping to promote active European citizenship. |
|
(2) |
Mobility brings citizens closer to one another and improves mutual understanding. It promotes solidarity, the exchange of ideas and a better knowledge of the different cultures which make up Europe; thus, mobility furthers economic, social and regional cohesion. |
|
(3) |
Intensifying European mobility and exchanges for education and training purposes, and events such as the 2006 European Year of Workers' Mobility, have a key role to play in achieving the Lisbon goal of making Europe the most innovative and competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010. |
|
(4) |
Providing a better framework for mobility for education and training purposes within the EU will help to contribute towards the achievement of a knowledge-based economy central to the creation of employment, sustainable development, research and innovation in the Member States. |
|
(5) |
Increased support from all stakeholders, including public authorities, for mobility within the EU is needed to improve the quality and effectiveness of education and training systems in Europe. |
|
(6) |
Recommendation 2001/613/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 July 2001 on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers (4) was the first recommendation adopted with the aim of facilitating Community action to encourage mobility. |
|
(7) |
The work of the group of experts set up by the Commission in accordance with point III(a) of that Recommendation, and the first follow-up report, while showing the progress made both at national and at European level as regards mobility for education and training purposes, demonstrate the need to focus not only on increasing mobility in quantitative terms but, above all, on improving its quality. |
|
(8) |
This objective may be pursued, inter alia, by adopting, in the form of a Recommendation, a Quality Charter for Mobility, laying down a set of principles in this field, to be implemented on a voluntary basis. |
|
(9) |
The European Quality Charter for Mobility (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Charter’) should also allow for the specific needs of people with disabilities and for disadvantaged groups. |
|
(10) |
The Charter should help increase exchanges, facilitate the recognition of periods dedicated to education or training, and the recognition of titles and qualifications, and establish mutual trust so as to improve and strengthen cooperation between the relevant authorities, organisations and all the stakeholders in mobility. Attention should be paid to the issue of the portability of loans, grants and social security benefits. |
|
(11) |
The Charter is intended to complement, but not replace, the specific provisions outlined in the Erasmus Student Charter. |
|
(12) |
The Charter, in the respective languages of the recipients, should be made readily available by the authorities to all students and persons undergoing training, organisations and other stakeholders in mobility in countries of origin and host countries, and should be treated as a basic reference framework. |
|
(13) |
The advantages of mobility strongly depend on the quality of the practical provisions: information, preparation, support and recognition of the experience and qualifications acquired by participants during the study and training periods. The people and organisations involved can considerably improve its value by careful planning and suitable evaluation. |
|
(14) |
Europass (5) is a particularly useful instrument for developing transparency and recognition in order to aid mobility. |
|
(15) |
It is desirable that the principles laid down in the Charter apply not only to the period of mobility itself but also to the periods preceding and following it. |
|
(16) |
A learning plan should be drawn up in advance. General preparation of the participants is also necessary, taking account of linguistic preparation. In this regard, the competent authorities and organisations should provide assistance. |
|
(17) |
All administrative and financial questions, such as what financial support is available, who bears the costs, and insurance cover in the host country, should be solved before departure. |
|
(18) |
For the period spent abroad, the quality of mobility can be enhanced by the provision of schemes such as mentoring for participants. |
|
(19) |
A detailed and clear description of any courses or training followed in the host country, including the duration of the course or training, should help to facilitate their recognition on returning to the home country. |
|
(20) |
Transparency and good administration call for a clear definition of the stakeholders responsible for each stage and action of the mobility programme. |
|
(21) |
In order to ensure the overall quality of mobility, it is desirable to ensure freedom of movement for all EU citizens and to apply as far as possible the principles laid down in the Charter and the relevant recommendations to all types of mobility for learning or professional development purposes: education or training; formal or non-formal learning, including voluntary work and projects; short or long mobility periods; school, higher education or job-related learning; measures in connection with lifelong learning. |
|
(22) |
In view of the diversity of the nature and duration of mobility activities, Member States may adjust the implementation of the Charter according to circumstances, namely to adapt it to specific situations and programmes. Member States may make some of the points compulsory and consider others as optional. |
|
(23) |
Since the objectives of this Recommendation cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the scale and effects of this Recommendation, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, the present Recommendation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives, |
HEREBY RECOMMEND that the Member States:
|
1. |
adopt and promote the use of the attached Charter as a means to enhance personal and professional development; |
|
2. |
report on their implementation of this Recommendation and any complementary measures they may choose to take in favour of mobility, particularly in relation to the quality aspects thereof, in their national contributions to the Education and Training 2010 work programme, as from the second year following the adoption of this Recommendation; |
|
3. |
continue to cooperate closely and coordinate their actions with a view to eliminating obstacles which directly or indirectly impede the mobility of EU citizens; |
|
4. |
provide appropriate support and suitable infrastructures for mobility for education and training purposes in order to enhance the education and training levels of their citizens; |
|
5. |
take any necessary steps to promote mobility, to ensure that all relevant information is easily understandable and accessible to all, for instance by means of an introductory guide to mobility or a list of supporting organisations, and to improve the conditions for mobility, |
HEREBY INVITE the Commission to:
|
1. |
encourage the use of the Charter by national agencies and other organisations working in the field of education and training and mobility; |
|
2. |
continue to cooperate with the Member States and the social partners, so that useful information and experience concerning the implementation of the measures advocated in this Recommendation may be exchanged; |
|
3. |
improve or develop in close cooperation with the relevant authorities gender-specific statistical data on mobility for education and training purposes; |
|
4. |
consider the present Recommendation as forming a whole with Recommendation 2001/613/EC and therefore to include the biennial reports requested therein in the general reports of the Education and Training 2010 work programme. |
Done at ..., on ...
For the European Parliament
The President
For the Council
The President
(1) OJ C 88, 11.4.2006, p. 20.
(2) OJ C 206, 29.8.2006, p. 40.
(3) Position of the European Parliament of 26 September 2006.
(4) OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, p. 30.
(5) Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, p. 6).
ANNEX
EUROPEAN QUALITY CHARTER FOR MOBILITY
INTRODUCTION
Strengthened by the Mobility Action Plan of 2000 (1) and by Recommendation 2001/613/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 10 July 2001 on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers (2), mobility has always been of considerable interest to stakeholders. That Recommendation was broad in scope, addressed a range of important questions associated with mobility and was targeted at anyone who might benefit from a period of learning abroad (formal and non-formal), including students, teachers, trainers, volunteers and people undergoing training. Recommendation 2006/.../EC of the European Parliament and the Council of ... on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility, of which this Charter constitutes an integral part, has the same scope but focuses on the quality aspects of mobility, as proposed by an expert group established following the first Recommendation. It should help to ensure that participants have a positive experience, both in the host country and in their country of origin once they return.
This Charter offers guidance for mobility undertaken by individual young people or adults, for the purposes of formal and non-formal learning and for their personal and professional development. It has been designed as a basic reference document, which takes account of national situations and respects Member States' competences. Its scope and content may be adapted to suit the duration of the mobility and the particularities of the various educational, training and youth activities as well as the needs of the participants. Although primarily addressing mobility for learning purposes, it is felt that this guidance could also be useful for other types of mobility, such as mobility for work.
1. Information and guidance
Potential candidates for mobility should have equal access, at all levels, to reliable sources of information and guidance for mobility and the conditions in which it can be taken up. Among other things, clear information should be provided on each of the points contained in this Charter, about the role and tasks of the sending and hosting organisations and about the various education and training systems.
2. Learning plan
Before undertaking mobility for education or training purposes, a learning plan, taking account of linguistic preparation, should be drawn up and agreed by the sending and hosting organisations and the participants. A learning plan is particularly important in the case of long-term mobility and may also be useful in the case of short-term mobility. The plan should outline the objectives and expected learning outcomes, as well as how these should be achieved and implemented. Any significant modification of the learning plan should be agreed by all parties. When drawing up the learning plan, the issues of reintegration into the home country and evaluation should be borne in mind.
3. Personalisation
Mobility undertaken for education or training purposes should fit in as much as possible with the personal learning pathways, skills and motivation of the participants, and should develop or supplement them.
4. General preparation
Prior preparation of the participants is advisable, and should be tailored to their specific needs. It should include linguistic, pedagogical, administrative, legal, personal and cultural aspects, and information on financial aspects, as necessary.
5. Linguistic aspects
Language skills are important for effective learning, intercultural communication and a better understanding of the host country's culture. Participants, and their sending and hosting organisations, should pay special attention to appropriate linguistic preparation. Wherever possible, mobility arrangements should include:
|
— |
language assessment before departure and an opportunity to follow courses in the language of the host country and/or the language of instruction, if different; |
|
— |
in the host country, linguistic support and advice. |
6. Logistical support
Where necessary, adequate logistical support should be provided to the participants. This could include information and assistance concerning travel arrangements, insurance, residence or work permits, social security, the portability of government grants and loans from the country of origin to the host country, accommodation, and any other practical aspects, including safety issues relevant to their stay, as appropriate.
7. Mentoring
The hosting organisation (educational establishment, youth organisation, company, etc.) should provide schemes such as mentoring to advise participants and help with their effective integration into the host environment, and should act as a contact point for obtaining ongoing assistance.
8. Recognition
If a study or placement period abroad is an integral part of a formal study or training programme, this fact should be stated in the learning plan, and participants should be provided with assistance to facilitate recognition and certification, where appropriate. In the learning plan, the sending organisation should undertake to recognise successful periods of mobility. For other types of mobility, and particularly those in the context of non-formal education and training, an appropriate document should be issued so that the participant is able to demonstrate his or her active participation and learning outcomes in a satisfactory and credible way. In this context, the use of the Europass (3) should be encouraged.
9. Reintegration and evaluation
On return to the home country, particularly after long-term mobility, participants should be given guidance on how to make use of competences and skills acquired during the stay. Where necessary, help with reintegration into the social, educational or professional environment of the home country should be made available to people returning after long-term mobility. The experience gained should be properly evaluated by participants, together with the organisations responsible, to assess whether the aims of the learning plan have been met.
10. Commitments and responsibilities
The responsibilities arising from these quality criteria should be agreed by the sending and hosting organisations and the participants. They should preferably be confirmed in writing, so that responsibilities are clear to all concerned.
(1) Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 14 December 2000, concerning an action plan for mobility (OJ C 371, 23.12.2000, p. 4).
(2) OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, p. 30.
(3) Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, p. 6).
P6_TA(2006)0365
Key competences for lifelong learning ***I
European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning (COM(2005)0548 — C6-0375/2005 — 2005/0221(COD))
(Codecision procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2005) 0548) (1), |
|
— |
having regard to Article 251(2) and Articles 149(4) and 150(4) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C6-0375/2005), |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture and Education and the opinions of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A6-0262/2006), |
|
1. |
Approves the Commission proposal as amended; |
|
2. |
Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend the proposal substantially or replace it with another text; |
|
3. |
Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission. |
(1) Not yet published in OJ.
P6_TC1-COD(2005)0221
Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 26 September 2006 with a view to the adoption of a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 149(4), and Article 150(4) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (3),
Whereas:
|
(1) |
The Lisbon European Council (23-24 March 2000) concluded that a European framework should define the new basic skills to be provided through lifelong learning as a key measure in Europe's response to globalisation and the shift to knowledge-based economies, and emphasised that people are Europe's main asset. Since then, those conclusions have been regularly restated including by the Brussels European Councils (20-21 March 2003 and 22-23 March 2005), and in the re-launched Lisbon Strategy which was approved in 2005. |
|
(2) |
The European Councils of Stockholm (23-24 March 2001) and Barcelona (15-16 March 2002) endorsed the concrete future objectives of European education and training systems and a workprogramme (the Education and Training 2010 work programme) to achieve them by 2010. These objectives include developing skills for the knowledge society and specific objectives for promoting language learning, developing entrepreneurship and the overall need to enhance the European dimension in education. |
|
(3) |
The Commission Communication ”Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality” and the subsequent Council Resolution of 27 June 2002 on lifelong learning (4) identified the provision of ‘the new basic skills’ as a priority, and stressed that lifelong learning must cover learning from preschool age to post-retirement age. |
|
(4) |
In the context of improving the Community's employment performance, the European Councils of Brussels (March 2003 and December 2003) stressed the need to develop lifelong learning, with a particular focus on active and preventive measures for the unemployed and inactive persons. This built on the report of the Employment Taskforce, which emphasised the need for people to be able to adapt to change, the importance of integrating people into the labour market, and the key role of lifelong learning. |
|
(5) |
In May 2003 the Council adopted the European reference levels (‘benchmarks’), demonstrating a commitment to a measurable improvement in European average performance. These reference levels include reading literacy, early school leaving, completion of upper secondary education and participation of adults in lifelong learning, and are closely linked to the development of key competences. |
|
(6) |
The report of the Council on the broader role of education adopted in November 2004 stressed that education contributes to preserving and renewing the common cultural background in society and to learning essential social and civic values such as citizenship, equality, tolerance and respect, and is particularly important at a time when all Member States are challenged by the question of how to deal with increasing social and cultural diversity. Moreover, enabling people to enter and stay in working life is an important part of the role of education in the strengthening of social cohesion. |
|
(7) |
The report adopted by the Commission in 2005 on progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training showed that there had been no progress in reducing the percentage of low achievers in reading literacy at age 15 or in raising the completion rate for upper-secondary education. Some progress was visible in reducing early school leaving, but at current rates the 2010 European reference levels adopted by the May 2003 Council will not be achieved. Participation of adults in learning is not growing fast enough to reach the 2010 reference level, and data shows that low-skilled people are less likely to participate in further training. |
|
(8) |
The Framework of Actions for the Lifelong Development of Competences and Qualifications, adopted by the European social partners in March 2002, stresses the need for businesses to adapt their structures more and more quickly in order to remain competitive. Increased team-work, flattening of hierarchies, devolved responsibilities and a greater need for multi-tasking are leading to the development of learning organisations. In this context, the ability of organisations to identify competences, to mobilise and recognise them and to encourage their development for all employees represent the basis for new competitive strategies. |
|
(9) |
The Maastricht Study on Vocational Education and Training of 2004 indicates a significant gap between the levels of education required by new jobs, and the levels of education achieved by the European workforce. This study shows that more than one third of the European workforce (80 million persons) is low-skilled whilst it has been estimated that by 2010 almost 50 % of new jobs will require tertiary level qualifications, just under 40 % will require upper secondary schooling, and only about 15% will be suitable for those with basic schooling. |
|
(10) |
The Joint Council/Commission Report on the Education and Training 2010 work programme, adopted in 2004, reinforced the need to ensure that all citizens are equipped with the competences they need as part of Member States' lifelong learning strategies. To encourage and facilitate reform, the report suggests the development of common European references and principles and gives priority to the Key Competences Framework. |
|
(11) |
The European Youth Pact which is annexed to the conclusions of the Brussels European Council (22-23 March 2005) stressed the need to encourage the development of a common set of core skills. |
|
(12) |
The need to equip young people with necessary key competences and to improve educational attainment levels is an integral part of the Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs 2005-2008, approved by the June 2005 European Council. In particular, the Employment Guidelines call for education and training systems to be adapted in response to new competence requirements through better identification of occupational needs and key competences as part of Member States' reform programmes. Furthermore, the Employment Guidelines call for ensuring gender mainstreaming and gender equality in all actions and for achieving an average employment rate for the European Union of 70 % overall and of at least 60 % for women. |
|
(13) |
Τhis Recommendation should contribute to the development of quality, future-oriented education and training tailored to the needs of European society, by supporting and supplementing Member States' actions in ensuring that their initial education and training systems offer all young people the means to develop key competences to a level that equips them for adult life, and which forms a basisfor further learning and working life and that adults are able to develop and update their key competences through the provision of coherent and comprehensive lifelong learning. Τhis Recommendation should also provide a common European reference framework on key competences for policy makers, education and training providers, the social partners and learners themselves in order to facilitate national reforms and exchange of information between the Member States and the Commission within the Education and Training 2010 work programme, with the aim of achieving the agreed European reference levels. Furthermore, this Recommendation should support other related policies such as employment and social policies and other policies affecting youth. |
|
(14) |
Since the objectives of this Recommendation, namely to support and supplement Member States' action by establishing a common reference point that encourages and facilitates national reforms and further cooperation between Member States, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States acting alone and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Recommendation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives insofar as it leaves the implementation of this Recommendation to Member States, |
HEREBY RECOMMEND:
That Member States develop the provision of key competences for all as part of their lifelong learning strategies, including their strategies for achieving universal literacy, and use the ‘Key Competences for Lifelong Learning — A European Reference Framework’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Reference Framework’) in the Annex hereto as a reference tool, with a view to ensuring that:
|
1. |
initial education and training offers all young people the means to develop the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life, and which forms a basis for further learning and working life; |
|
2. |
appropriate provision is made for those young people who, due to educational disadvantages caused by personal, social, cultural or economic circumstances, need particular support to fulfil their educational potential; |
|
3. |
adults are able to develop and update their key competences throughout their lives, and that there is a particular focus on target groups identified as priorities in the national, regional and/or local contexts, such as individuals needing to update their skills; |
|
4. |
appropriate infrastructure for continuing education and training of adults including teachers and trainers, validation and evaluation procedures, measures aimed at ensuring equal access to both lifelong learning and the labour market, and support for learners that recognises the differing needs and competences of adults, is in place; |
|
5. |
coherence of adult education and training provision for individual citizens is achieved through close links with employment policy and social policy, cultural policy, innovation policy and other policies affecting young people and through collaboration with social partners and other stakeholders; |
HEREBY TAKE NOTE OF THE COMMISSION'S INTENTION TO:
|
1. |
contribute to Member States' efforts to develop their education and training systems and to implement and disseminate this Recommendation, including by using the Reference Framework as a reference to facilitate peer learning and the exchange of good practices and to follow up developments and report on progress through the biennial progress reports on the Education and Training 2010 work programme; |
|
2. |
use the Reference Framework as a reference in the implementation of the Community Education and Training programmes and to ensure that these programmes promote the acquisition of key competences; |
|
3. |
promote the wider use of the Reference Framework in related Community policies, and particularly in the implementation of employment, youth, and cultural and social policy, and to develop further links with social partners and other organisations working in those fields; |
|
4. |
review the impact of the Reference Framework within the context of the Education and Training 2010 work programme and report, by ... (5), to the European Parliament and to the Council on the experience gained and the implications for the future. |
Done at ..., on ...
For the European Parliament
The President
For the Council
The President
(1) OJ C 195, 18.8.2006, p. 109.
(2) OJ C 229, 22.9.2006, p. 21.
(3) Position of the European Parliament of 26 September 2006.
(5) OJ: four years after the adoption of this Recommendation.
ANNEX
KEY COMPETENCES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING — A EUROPEAN REFERENCE FRAMEWORK
Background and aims
As globalisation continues to confront the European Union with new challenges, each citizen will need a wide range of key competences to adapt flexibly to a rapidly changing and highly interconnected world.
Education in its dual role, both social and economic, has a key role to play in ensuring that Europe's citizens acquire the key competences needed to enable them to adapt flexibly to such changes.
In particular, building on diverse individual competences, the differing needs of learners should be met by ensuring equality and access for those groups who, due to educational disadvantages caused by personal, social, cultural or economic circumstances, need particular support to fulfil their educational potential. Examples of such groups include people with low basic skills, in particular with low literacy, early school leavers, the long-term unemployed and those returning to work after a period of extended leave, older people, migrants, and people with disabilities.
In this context, the main aims of the Reference Framework are to:
|
(1) |
identify and define the key competences necessary for personal fulfilment, active citizenship, social cohesion and employability in a knowledge society; |
|
(2) |
support Member States' work in ensuring that by the end of initial education and training young people have developed the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life and which forms a basis for further learning and working life, and that adults are able to develop and update their key competences throughout their lives; |
|
(3) |
provide a European level reference tool for policy makers, education providers, employers, and learners themselves to facilitate national and European level efforts towards commonly agreed objectives; |
|
(4) |
provide a framework for further action at Community level both within the Education and Training 2010 work programme and within the Community Education and Training Programmes. |
Key Competences
Competences are defined here as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the context. Key competences are those which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment.
The Reference Framework sets out eight key competences:
|
(1) |
Communication in the mother tongue; |
|
(2) |
Communication in foreign languages; |
|
(3) |
Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology; |
|
(4) |
Digital competence; |
|
(5) |
Learning to learn; |
|
(6) |
Social and civic competences; |
|
(7) |
Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; and |
|
(8) |
Cultural awareness and expression. |
The key competences are all considered equally important, because each of them can contribute to a successful life in a knowledge society. Many of the competences overlap and interlock: aspects essential to one domain will support competence in another. Competence in the fundamental basic skills of language, literacy, numeracy and in information and communication technologies (ICT) is an essential foundation for learning, and learning to learn supports all learning activities. There are a number of themes that are applied throughout the Reference Framework: critical thinking, creativity, initiative, problem solving, risk assessment, decision taking, and constructive management of feelings play a role in all eight key competences.
1. Communication in the mother tongue (1)
Definition:
Communication in the mother tongue is the ability to express and interpret concepts, thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing), and to interact linguistically in an appropriate and creative way in a full range of societal and cultural contexts; in education and training, work, home and leisure.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Communicative competence results from the acquisition of the mother tongue, which is intrinsically linked to the development of an individual's cognitive ability to interpret the world and relate to others. Communication in the mother tongue requires an individual to have knowledge of vocabulary, functional grammar and the functions of language. It includes an awareness of the main types of verbal interaction, a range of literary and non-literary texts, the main features of different styles and registers of language, and the variability of language and communication in different contexts.
Individuals should have the skills to communicate both orally and in writing in a variety of communicative situations and to monitor and adapt their own communication to the requirements of the situation. This competence also includes the abilities to distinguish and use different types of texts, to search for, collect and process information, to use aids, and to formulate and express one's oral and written arguments in a convincing way appropriate to the context.
A positive attitude towards communication in the mother tongue involves a disposition to critical and constructive dialogue, an appreciation of aesthetic qualities and a willingness to strive for them, and an interest in interaction with others. This implies an awareness of the impact of language on others and a need to understand and use language in a positive and socially responsible manner.
2. Communication in foreign languages (2)
Definition:
Communication in foreign languages broadly shares the main skill dimensions of communication in the mother tongue: it is based on the ability to understand, express and interpret concepts, thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in an appropriate range of societal and cultural contexts (in education and training, work, home and leisure) according to one's wants or needs. Communication in foreign languages also calls for skills such as mediation and intercultural understanding. An individual's level of proficiency will vary between the four dimensions (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and between the different languages, and according to that individual's social and cultural background, environment, needs and/or interests.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Competence in foreign languages requires knowledge of vocabulary and functional grammar and an awareness of the main types of verbal interaction and registers of language. Knowledge of societal conventions, and the cultural aspect and variability of languages is important.
Essential skills for communication in foreign languages consist of the ability to understand spoken messages, to initiate, sustain and conclude conversations and to read, understand and produce texts appropriate to the individual's needs. Individuals should also be able to use aids appropriately, and learn languages also informally as part of lifelong learning.
A positive attitude involves the appreciation of cultural diversity, and an interest and curiosity in languages and intercultural communication.
3. Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology
Definition:
|
A. |
Mathematical competence is the ability to develop and apply mathematical thinking in order to solve a range of problems in everyday situations. Building on a sound mastery of numeracy, the emphasis is on process and activity, as well as knowledge. Mathematical competence involves, to different degrees, the ability and willingness to use mathematical modes of thought (logical and spatial thinking) and presentation (formulas, models, constructs, graphs, charts). |
|
B. |
Competence in science refers to the ability and willingness to use the body of knowledge and methodology employed to explain the natural world, in order to identify questions and to draw evidencebased conclusions. Competence in technology is viewed as the application of that knowledge and methodology in response to perceived human wants or needs. Competence in science and technology involves an understanding of the changes caused by human activity and responsibility as an individual citizen. |
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
|
A. |
Necessary knowledge in mathematics includes a sound knowledge of numbers, measures and structures, basic operations and basic mathematical presentations, an understanding of mathematical terms and concepts, and an awareness of the questions to which mathematics can offer answers. An individual should have the skills to apply basic mathematical principles and processes in everyday contexts at home and work, and to follow and assess chains of arguments. An individual should be able to reason mathematically, understand mathematical proof and communicate in mathematical language, and to use appropriate aids. A positive attitude in mathematics is based on the respect of truth and willingness to look for reasons and to assess their validity. |
|
B. |
For science and technology, essential knowledge comprises the basic principles of the natural world, fundamental scientific concepts, principles and methods, technology and technological products and processes, as well as an understanding of the impact of science and technology on the natural world. These competences should enable individuals to better understand the advances, limitations and risks of scientific theories, applications and technology in societies at large (in relation to decision-making, values, moral questions, culture, etc). Skills include the ability to use and handle technological tools and machines as well as scientific data to achieve a goal or to reach an evidence-based decision or conclusion. Individuals should also be able to recognise the essential features of scientific inquiry and have the ability to communicate the conclusions and reasoning that led to them. Competence includes an attitude of critical appreciation and curiosity, an interest in ethical issues and respect for both safety and sustainability, in particular as regards scientific and technological progress in relation to oneself, family, community and global issues. |
4. Digital competence
Definition:
Digital competence involves the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology (IST) for work, leisure and communication. It is underpinned by basic skills in ICT: the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Digital competence requires a sound understanding and knowledge of the nature, role and opportunities of IST in everyday contexts: in personal and social life as well as at work. This includes main computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, information storage and management, and an understanding of the opportunities and potential risks of the Internet and communication via electronic media (e-mail, network tools) for work, leisure, information sharing and collaborative networking, learning and research. Individuals should also understand how IST can support creativity and innovation, and be aware of issues around the validity and reliability of information available and of the legal and ethical principles involved in the interactive use of IST.
Skills needed include the ability to search, collect and process information and use it in a critical and systematic way, assessing relevance and distinguishing the real from the virtual while recognising the links. Individuals should have skills to use tools to produce, present and understand complex information and the ability to access, search and use internet-based services. Individuals should also be able use IST to support critical thinking, creativity, and innovation.
Use of IST requires a critical and reflective attitude towards available information and a responsible use of the interactive media. An interest in engaging in communities and networks for cultural, social and/or professional purposes also supports this competence.
5. Learning to learn
Definition:
‘Learning to learn’ is the ability to pursue and persist in learning, to organise one's own learning, including through effective management of time and information, both individually and in groups. This competence includes awareness of one's learning process and needs, identifying available opportunities, and the ability to overcome obstacles in order to learn successfully. This competence means gaining, processing and assimilating new knowledge and skills as well as seeking and making use of guidance. Learning to learn engages learners to build on prior learning and life experiences in order to use and apply knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts: at home, at work, in education and training. Motivation and confidence are crucial to an individual's competence.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Where learning is directed towards particular work or career goals, an individual should have knowledge of the competences, knowledge, skills and qualifications required. In all cases, learning to learn requires an individual to know and understand his/her preferred learning strategies, the strengths and weaknesses of his/her skills and qualifications, and to be able to search for the education and training opportunities and guidance and/or support available.
Learning to learn skills require firstly the acquisition of the fundamental basic skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICT skills that are necessary for further learning. Building on these skills, an individual should be able to access, gain, process and assimilate new knowledge and skills. This requires effective management of one's learning, career and work patterns, and, in particular, the ability to persevere with learning, to concentrate for extended periods and to reflect critically on the purposes and aims of learning. Individuals should be able to dedicate time to learning autonomously and with self-discipline, but also to work collaboratively as part of the learning process, draw the benefits from a heterogeneous group, and to share what they have learnt. Individuals should be able to organise their own learning, evaluate their own work, and to seek advice, information and support when appropriate.
A positive attitude includes the motivation and confidence to pursue and succeed at learning throughout one's life. A problem-solving attitude supports both the learning process itself and an individual's ability to handle obstacles and change. The desire to apply prior learning and life experiences and the curiosity to look for opportunities to learn and apply learning in a variety of life contexts are essential elements of a positive attitude.
6. Social and civic competences
Definition:
These include personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence and cover all forms of behaviour that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life, and particularly in increasingly diverse societies, and to resolve conflict where necessary. Civic competence equips individuals to fully participate in civic life, based on knowledge of social and political concepts and structures and a commitment to active and democratic participation.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
|
A. |
Social competence is linked to personal and social well-being which requires an understanding of how individuals can ensure optimum physical and mental health, including as a resource for oneself and one's family and one's immediate social environment, and knowledge of how a healthy lifestyle can contribute to this. For successful interpersonal and social participation it is essential to understand the codes of conduct and manners generally accepted in different societies and environments (e.g. at work). It is equally important to be aware of basic concepts relating to individuals, groups, work organisations, gender equality and non-discrimination, society and culture. Understanding the multi-cultural and socio-economic dimensions of European societies and how national cultural identity interacts with the European identity is essential. The core skills of this competence include the ability to communicate constructively in different environments, to show tolerance, express and understand different viewpoints, to negotiate with the ability to create confidence, and to feel empathy. Individuals should be capable of coping with stress and frustration and expressing them in a constructive way and should also distinguish between the personal and professional spheres. The competence is based on an attitude of collaboration, assertiveness and integrity. Individuals should have an interest in socio-economic developments and intercultural communication and should value diversity and respect others, and be prepared both to overcome prejudices and to compromise. |
|
B. |
Civic competence is based on knowledge of the concepts of democracy, justice, equality, citizenship, and civil rights, including how they are expressed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and international declarations and how they are applied by various institutions at the local, regional, national, European and international levels. It includes knowledge of contemporary events, as well as the main events and trends in national, European and world history. In addition, an awareness of the aims, values and policies of social and political movements should be developed. Knowledge of European integration and of the EU's structures, main objectives and values is also essential, as well as an awareness of diversity and cultural identities in Europe. Skills for civic competence relate to the ability to engage effectively with others in the public domain, and to display solidarity and interest in solving problems affecting the local and wider community. This involves critical and creative reflection and constructive participation in community or neighbourhood activities as well as decision-making at all levels, from local to national and European level, in particular through voting. Full respect for human rights including equality as a basis for democracy, appreciation and understanding of differences between value systems of different religious or ethnic groups lay the foundations for a positive attitude. This means displaying both a sense of belonging to one's locality, country, the EU and Europe in general and to the world, and a willingness to participate in democratic decision-making at all levels. It also includes demonstrating a sense of responsibility, as well as showing understanding of and respect for the shared values that are necessary to ensure community cohesion, such as respect for democratic principles. Constructive participation also involves civic activities, support for social diversity and cohesion and sustainable development, and a readiness to respect the values and privacy of others. |
7. Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship
Definition:
Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship refers to an individual's ability to turn ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation and risk-taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives. This supports individuals, not only in their everyday lives at home and in society, but also in the workplace in being aware of the context of their work and being able to seize opportunities, and is a foundation for more specific skills and knowledge needed by those establishing or contributing to social or commercial activity. This should include awareness of ethical values and promote good governance.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Necessary knowledge includes the ability to identify available opportunities for personal, professional and/or business activities, including ‘bigger picture’ issues that provide the context in which people live and work, such as a broad understanding of the workings of the economy, and the opportunities and challenges facing an employer or organisation. Individuals should also be aware of the ethical position of enterprises, and how they can be a force for good, for example through fair trade or through social enterprise.
Skills relate to proactive project management (involving, for example the ability to plan, organise, manage, lead and delegate, analyse, communicate, de-brief, evaluate and record), effective representation and negotiation, and the ability to work both as an individual and collaboratively in teams. The ability to judge and identify one's strengths and weaknesses, and to assess and take risks as and when warranted, is essential.
An entrepreneurial attitude is characterised by initiative, pro-activity, independence and innovation in personal and social life, as much as at work. It also includes motivation and determination to meet objectives, whether personal goals, or aims held in common with others, including at work.
8. Cultural awareness and expression
Definition:
Appreciation of the importance of the creative expression of ideas, experiences and emotions in a range of media, including music, performing arts, literature, and the visual arts.
Essential knowledge, skills and attitudes related to this competence:
Cultural knowledge includes an awareness of local, national and European cultural heritage and their place in the world. It covers a basic knowledge of major cultural works, including popular contemporary culture. It is essential to understand the cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe and other regions of the world, the need to preserve it and the importance of aesthetic factors in daily life.
Skills relate to both appreciation and expression: the appreciation and enjoyment of works of art and performances as well as self-expression through a variety of media using one' s innate capacities. Skills include also the ability to relate one's own creative and expressive points of view to the opinions of others and to identify and realise social and economic opportunities in cultural activity. Cultural expression is essential to the development of creative skills, which can be transferred to a variety of professional contexts.
A solid understanding of one's own culture and a sense of identity can be the basis for an open attitude towards and respect for diversity of cultural expression. A positive attitude also covers creativity, and the willingness to cultivate aesthetic capacity through artistic self-expression and participation in cultural life.
(1) In the context of Europe's multicultural and multilingual societies, it is recognised that the mother tongue may not in all cases be an official language of the Member State, and that ability to communicate in an official language is a precondition for ensuring full participation of the individual in society. In some Member States the mother tongue may be one of several official languages. Measures to address such cases, and apply the definition accordingly, are a matter for individual Member States in accordance with their specific needs and circumstances.
(2) It is important to recognise that many Europeans live in bilingual or multilingual families and communities, and that the official language of the country in which they live may not be their mother tongue. For these groups, this competence may refer to an official language, rather than to a foreign language. Their need, motivation, and social and/or economic reasons for developing this competence in support of their integration will differ, for instance, from those learning a foreign language for travel or work. Measures to address such cases, and apply the definition accordingly, are a matter for individual Member States in accordance with their specific needs and circumstances.
P6_TA(2006)0366
Thematic strategy on air pollution
European Parliament resolution on the thematic strategy on air pollution (2006/2060(INI))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the Thematic Strategy on air pollution (COM(2005)0446), |
|
— |
having regard to the Sixth Community Environmental Action Programme (6th EAP) (1), |
|
— |
having regard to the Lisbon Strategy (Barcelona European Council Conclusions 15-16 March 2002), |
|
— |
having regard to the communication from the Commission on the Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) programme: Towards a Thematic Strategy for Air Quality (COM(2001)0245), |
|
— |
having regard to the impact assessment (IA) relating to the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and the Directive on ‘Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe’ (SEC(2005)1133), |
|
— |
having regard to the report on Health Aspects of Air Pollution — Results from the WHO project ‘Systematic Review of Health Aspects of Air Pollution in Europe’ (2), |
|
— |
having regard to the policy briefing by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) (3), |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission proposal for a new Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (COM(2005)0447), |
|
— |
having regard to the large body of existing EU legislation controlling air quality and emissions to air, including: the Air Quality Framework Directive (4) and its Daughter Directives, the National Emission Ceilings Directive (5), the Large Combustion Plant Directive (6), Directives controlling vehicle emissions and fuel quality, the Solvents Emissions Directive (7) and the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive (8); |
|
— |
having regard to the European Environment Council conclusions of 9 March 2006, |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A6-0235/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas air pollution is a major cause of death and factor for disease in Europe, leading to a loss of life expectancy of over eight months per individual on average; whereas children, elderly people, people suffering from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and those who live in high exposure areas, like urban areas (cities) and near main roads, face a particular health threat, |
|
B. |
whereas the general objective of the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution is to draw up a long-term integrated strategic policy for combating air pollution in order to achieve the objectives of the 6th EAP relating to the protection of human health and the environment, |
|
C. |
whereas in recent decades considerable progress has already been made in reducing emissions into the air of the pollutants most inimical to health, |
|
D. |
whereas fine particles PM2,5 and ground level ozone are the air pollutants that cause the most health problems, |
|
E. |
whereas 55 % of European ecosystems are damaged by air pollution, |
|
F. |
whereas air pollution occurs in all Member States and is a cross-border issue, as particulate matter and other pollutants travel many hundreds of kilometres, on account of which a European solution and stronger cross-border measures are required; whereas that fact does not absolve certain Member States from their particular responsibilities to comply with the limit values for air quality, |
|
G. |
whereas air pollution can be effectively combated only by means of a coordinated package of measures which combines measures at European, national and local level and which is primarily geared to combating emissions of pollutants at source, |
|
H. |
whereas Article 7 of the 6th EAP states that one of its objectives is to achieve ‘levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on and risks to human health and the environment’, |
|
I. |
whereas among the key measures listed in Article 7 of the 6th EAP are the development of a thematic strategy on air pollution and the review and updating of air quality standards and national emission ceilings, with a view to achieving the long-term objective of not exceeding critical loads and levels; whereas air pollution is a complex problem which can only be solved by means of a systematic approach which takes account of interactions, |
|
J. |
whereas effective implementation of existing legislation is key to delivering improvements in air quality in 2020, and whereas some existing legislation is still in the process of being implemented, |
|
K. |
whereas ambitious air quality objectives can be attained only if the existing legislation is consistently implemented in all Member States and if new legislative proposals can concentrate on limiting emissions by polluters, |
|
L. |
whereas the Commission has presented in its Impact Assessment (IA) three scenarios (A, B and C) reflecting different levels of ambition as well as a Maximum Technically Feasible Reduction scenario, |
|
M. |
whereas the IA shows that the majority of European citizens favour a European policy to improve air quality with an ambition level resembling scenario C; in the Strategy, however, the Commission has chosen a lower level of ambition, which can be qualified as A+, |
|
N. |
whereas the costs of reducing air pollution levels in all scenarios are lower than the financial benefits; whereas none of the scenarios undermine the EU's overall competitive position and whereas an ambitious scenario leads to job creation, |
|
O. |
whereas the Commission's IA is thorough and takes both Better Regulation and the Sustainable Development Strategy into account; yet there is a serious lack of systems approach in the proposed Strategy and the related Air Quality Directive, since, for instance, no further CO2 emission reductions are anticipated, which no doubt leads to an overestimation of costs and underestimation of benefits for the Strategy since continued emission reductions after 2012 will, as one of many effects, contribute to an improvement of air quality, |
|
P. |
whereas the IA shows that the optimal scenario — where marginal costs equal marginal benefits — is to be found between scenarios B and C, regardless of the fact that monetarisation of damage to ecosystems, crop materials as well as some adverse health effects are not included in the cost figures, |
|
Q. |
whereas the CAFE working group on PM (particulate matter) noted that there are health risks linked to PM2,5 at concentrations below 10 μg/m3 and that a limit value should not exceed 20 μg/m3, |
|
R. |
whereas — as pointed out by IEEP — the PM2,5 value of 25 μg/m3 as proposed by the Commission does not entail more stringent requirements for Member States on PM, but rather relaxes obligations by allowing exemptions, |
|
S. |
whereas improvements in air quality benefit society as a whole, while the costs are incurred by specific sectors; whereas, for that reason, it is necessary to find ways of meeting those costs when application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle leads to unacceptable costs for a specific sector, |
|
T. |
whereas all sectors must contribute to improvements in air quality, with particular emphasis on those sectors which hitherto have made only an inadequate contribution to keeping the air clean, |
|
U. |
whereas internal market provisions stimulate the achievement of environmental targets and limit values in the EU, as long as targets are equally implemented in the various Member States, |
|
V. |
whereas many Member States do not meet the limit values under current air quality legislation — most problems occur in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, northern Italy, Poland and in large cities; whereas the measures adopted so far that are directed at the sources of pollution are insufficient to achieve the limit values, |
|
W. |
whereas failures to comply with limit values are not always due to a lack of measures taken by the Member State but are sometimes also caused by a lack of adequate Community measures, |
|
X. |
whereas a strategy is needed that contains ambitious targets that are translated into ambitious air quality legislation, accompanied by measures focusing on the sources of pollution, to enable Member States to meet air quality standards, while giving more time to Member States that have taken all appropriate measures but still face problems in meeting limit values, |
|
Y. |
whereas in order to ensure the attainment of health and environmental objectives, the National Emission Ceilings Directive should be complemented by a mix of emission reduction measures at local, national, Community and international levels, |
Setting the right ambition level to tackle air pollution
|
1. |
Welcomes the Commission's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution, which emphasises the fact that air pollution is a serious health and environmental problem; |
|
2. |
Notes with concern that the Strategy does not show how the objectives of the 6th EAP can be attained; therefore calls on the Commission to aim for a significantly higher level of ambition to reduce air pollution for 2020 in order to attain those objectives; |
|
3. |
Is aware of the fact that the ambition level A+ for NH3 in paragraph 2 of the strategy is relatively ambitious for the agricultural sector, but asks the Commission to take fully into account the acidification problems caused by NH3 in the review of the CAP, and therefore to pursue ambition level C; |
|
4. |
Notes with regret that the Strategy does not include any legal requirement to reduce particulate emissions, as recommended by the European Environment Agency, but simply confines itself to suggesting indicative targets; |
|
5. |
Calls for a strategy with more ambitious reduction targets that correspond to scenario C for VOC (volatile organic compounds), PM2,5 and NOx since this would lead to greater health benefits and employment benefits, while maintaining a balanced approach between costs and benefits; calls for reductions as outlined in the table below:
|
|
6. |
Calls on the Commission to update the input data used for the integrated assessment model to take account of structural measures, to take full account of the potential for reducing emissions from international shipping, to include all relevant existing legislation in the so-called baseline scenario and to use an energy scenario that is in line with ambitious EU climate policy before using the model for preparing the revision of the National Emission Ceilings Directive; believes that updating the input data used for the analysis along those lines, together with the inclusion of additional non-technical structural measures for reducing emissions, would substantially bring down the estimated cost of achieving given interim targets and would result in significantly higher emission reduction potential; |
|
7. |
Favours the introduction of a PM10 yearly limit value of 33 μg/m3 in 2010 and supports the Commission's proposal to introduce a concentration reduction of PM2,5, as the PM2,5 part within PM10 is the most harmful to health; calls for the introduction of a PM2,5 target value of 20 μg/m3 in 2010, turning into a limit value in 2015, and, in accordance with the WHO recommendation, a long-term target value for PM2,5 of 10 μg/m3; agrees that it should be possible for Member States that can show that they have taken all feasible measures to be granted more time to reach the limit and target values; |
|
8. |
Advocates greater uniformity of the methods of measurement and calculation used by different Member States for fine particulate concentrations; considers, inter alia, that the correction factors should be applied properly; |
|
9. |
Is convinced that the proposed pollution reductions can only be achieved if the EU strengthens its emission legislation and calls for the adoption of ambitious limit values that are binding to a larger extent; |
|
10. |
Supports the Commission's proposal to introduce a target exposure reduction of 20 % for PM2,5 in 2020 compared to the average exposure index of 2010; calls however for differentiated reduction targets, which take account of the different initial levels of the Member States and the measures taken previously, with particular reference to the greater reduction potential of Member States where the initial exposure level is high; |
|
11. |
Calls for the introduction of smog warnings in case of high smog levels and for people to be encouraged not to use open fireplaces and to reduce car usage on those days; |
|
12. |
Is convinced that the proposed reductions can only be achieved if the EU strengthens its emissions legislation; points out that air pollution can only be tackled if ambitious limit values are linked to an ambitious emission policy; |
Sector-based measures
|
13. |
Calls upon the Commission and Member States to take the necessary measures as soon as possible to cut emissions in the various sectors that contribute to air pollution, in which connection particular priority should be assigned to those sectors which have not previously been regulated and where further emission reductions can be achieved at lower cost; |
|
14. |
Calls on the Commission to make a proposal for revision of the National Emission Ceilings Directive as soon as possible and for making it commensurate with the level of ambition advocated by Parliament; |
|
15. |
Calls upon the Commission and the Member States to urgently take measures to cut emissions from the shipping sector and calls for the Commission to come forward with proposals
further calls upon the Commission to propose coordinated action to ensure a level playing field and to insist on action within the IMO; is convinced that a better balance between the costs of reducing emissions from ships and land-based emissions is needed; |
|
16. |
Notes that, while agriculture is one of the major sources of air pollution caused by ammonia, there are few obligations on that sector to reduce emissions; welcomes the introduction of the principle of ‘conditionality’ of agricultural aid following the latest reform of the CAP, which should make for a notable reduction in emissions of substances damaging to the environment; calls on Member States to fight air pollution related to cattle farming, especially intensive farming, the use of fertilizers and greenhouse heating equipment, and to use agricultural subsidies to tackle the problem of ammonia; calls for an update on ammonia reduction targets in the context of the CAP review; calls on the Commission to include intensive farming in the IPPC Directive and also calls on the Commission and Member States to foster measures which promote the development of organic farming and integrated agriculture as part of rural development policy; |
|
17. |
Notes the high contribution from agricultural activities to emissions of ammonia; agrees with the Commission on the need to reduce these emissions; calls on the Commission to urgently come forward with specific proposals aimed at reducing emissions of ammonia from agriculture; and calls on the Commission to link CAP subsidies to stringent requirements for action to combat ammonia emissions from farming; |
|
18. |
Notes that as a general feature the costs of NH3 emission reductions seem to be overestimated, for example the draft CAP reform projections of the European Environment Agency foresee lower livestock numbers than the CAFE baseline projections, which if more accurate would also mean lower than projected costs for achieving ammonia emissions reductions; |
|
19. |
Calls on the Commission to evaluate the cross effects of relevant environmental Directives, such as the Nitrates Directive, the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive and the Water Framework Directive; points in this light especially to the stimulus to use mineral fertilisers (which have been identified as a major source of ammonia emission within the agricultural sector), instead of animal fertilisers, that results from the Nitrates Directive; |
|
20. |
Calls on the Commission to propose as soon as possible measures to reduce emissions from industrial sources, including a revision of the IPPC Directive, which should reward innovation more effectively and include small-scale combustion installations below 50MWh; |
|
21. |
Asks the Commission to propose as soon as possible measures to cut emissions from domestic sources, including standards on heating equipment; invites Member States to introduce measures and programmes to reduce emissions from domestic sources, such as fireplaces; |
|
22. |
Urges the Commission to propose in 2006 the future Euro 6 standards for passenger cars with a further reduction of the NOx standard for diesel passenger cars and vans from 2011, and also to indicate the direction of Euro VII for heavy duty vehicles; urges the Commission to introduce the Euro VI norms for heavy duty vehicles at the latest in 2012 with standards comparable to the standards in the United States; these enable Member States to achieve the air quality targets; invites Member States to take the necessary measures to phase out older polluting vehicles, exempting historic vintage vehicles, or — where appropriate — provide incentives for retrofitting; calls on the Commission, Member States and the transport sector to engage in a fundamental debate concerning sustainable mobility in the 21st century; |
|
23. |
Invites national, regional and local authorities to review local transport systems and find innovative solutions to minimise the use of cars in inner cities; is convinced that congestion charges result in economic and environmental benefits, and environmental zoning that discourages the more polluting cars from entering inner cities provides a strong incentive to modernise the car fleet; stresses that local governments can provide a strong incentive for innovation by purchasing clean cars (EEV, Euro 6 and VI) for the public and semipublic car fleet and by taking action to support employees that use more sustainable transport modes; |
|
24. |
Notes the absence of linkage between the development and use of alternative energy sources and a reduction in air pollution as well as the lack of emphasis on the need to extend public transport and exploit alternative energy sources on the basis of strategic planning; |
|
25. |
Calls on the Commission to propose measures to tackle air pollution that — in line with Article 95 (3) of the EC Treaty — ensure a high level of environmental protection; calls on the Commission to allow exemptions from internal market provisions for Member States that wish to take measures that go further than current EU standards; is convinced that those Member States that implement stricter standards provide an important incentive for innovation; |
Better law-making
|
26. |
Calls on the Commission and the Council to strike an inter-institutional agreement with the Parliament in which the three institutions express their dedication to the air quality targets as laid down in this Strategy and to a correspondingly ambitious revision of the National Emission Ceilings Directive; the agreement needs to incorporate a detailed list of EU measures to be taken to ensure that the emission targets of the Strategy are met in a timely way, including the ones set out in paragraphs 13-24 above; the list should be coherent with other Community policies, including the climate action plan; is convinced that such an agreement would contribute to improving accountability and therefore to ‘better law-making’; |
|
27. |
Calls on the Commission to review in 2012 the progress made in attaining the objectives of the Strategy and to assess the potential in different sectors for further cost-effective reductions; |
*
* *
|
28. |
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission as well as to the governments and parliaments of the Member States. |
(1) OJ L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1.
(2) http://www.euro.who.int/document/E83080.pdf.
(3) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/envi/pdf/externalexpertise/ieep_6leg/air_pollution.pdf.
(4) Directive 96/62/EC (OJ L 296, 21.11.1996, p. 55).
(5) Directive 2001/81/EC (OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 22).
(6) Directive 2001/80/EC (OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 1).
(7) Directive 1999/13/EC (OJ L 85, 29.3.1999, p. 1).
(8) Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 257, 10.10.1996, p. 26).
(9) Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution.
P6_TA(2006)0367
Thematic strategy on the urban environment
European Parliament resolution on the thematic strategy on the urban environment (2006/2061(INI))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to its resolutions of 13 October 2005 on the urban dimension in the context of enlargement (1) and of 18 January 2006 on the environmental aspects of sustainable development (2), |
|
— |
having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment (COM(2005)0718), |
|
— |
having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Towards a thematic strategy on the Urban Environment’ (COM(2004)0060), |
|
— |
having regard to Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 laying down the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme (6th EAP) (3), |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the opinions of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Regional Development (A6-0233/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas around 80 % of European population lives in cities, yet their needs and interests are not always appropriately represented in the European Union's funds, projects, initiatives and strategies, |
|
B. |
whereas the aim of the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment (TSUE) is to contribute to the overall environmental performance of cities in Europe, by reducing bureaucracy and enhancing efficiency of the implementation of environmental policy, and encouraging long-term environmental planning at local level, |
|
C. |
whereas, given that the share of public transport in new Member States, although on the decline, is still higher than in the old Member States, measures need to be considered that would be able to halt a further decline in the use of public transport, |
|
D. |
whereas the 6th EAP promoted in particular the need to tackle rising volumes of traffic and to achieve a significant decoupling of transport growth and GDP growth, |
|
E. |
whereas the energy dependency of the European Union should also be addressed at urban level, with the largest increase in energy consumption being in the transport sector, and whereas policies on other sectors such as housing and the choice of energy sources for heating are, in the main, decided at local level, |
|
1. |
Welcomes the communication from the Commission on the TSUE; however, considers that it is not sufficient to achieve the goals set in the 6th EAP; |
|
2. |
Supports in particular the fact that the communication also recognises the important role of cities as economic drivers; |
|
3. |
Shares the Commission's analysis that environmental problems in cities are particularly complex because their causes are inter-related and echoes the Commission's warning that local initiatives to resolve one problem can lead to new problems elsewhere; |
|
4. |
Regrets that, contrary to the intentions of the 6th EAP, there are no legally binding measures and deadlines proposed by the Commission to address any of the goals set by the 6th EAP; |
|
5. |
Regrets also that the TSUE does not attempt to balance European policy between urban and rural areas, or between centrally located towns and cities and those in outlying areas; |
|
6. |
Calls on the Commission to issue guidelines on the application of the forthcoming Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe and to ensure the proper enforcement of this piece of legislation; |
|
7. |
Stresses that the Commission, in cooperation with the national authorities, should encourage every agglomeration having more than 100 000 inhabitants to establish a Sustainable Urban Management Plan (SUMP) and a Sustainable Urban Transport Plan (SUTP); |
|
8. |
Demands that the Commission guidance document incorporate core common indicators in line with obligations and targets under relevant existing EU environmental policy (e.g. air, noise, water and waste directives, energy efficiency and climate policy) to allow for comparisons and benchmarking between European cities; |
|
9. |
Considers that the SUMP should take into consideration among others the following documents:
|
|
10. |
Considers that SUMPs should be set out as follows:
|
|
11. |
Stresses that citizens, NGOs, business organisations and other stakeholders should be involved in the preparation of the SUMPs, which should be made available to the public; considers, furthermore, that regular evaluation of progress made and dissemination of the results of such evaluations are also essential; |
|
12. |
Encourages the Commission to carry out a mid-term review of the implementation of the technical guidelines in connection with the 2009 consultation and supports the Commission's work in connection with setting up a thematic Internet portal for local authorities; |
|
13. |
Calls on the Commission to propose a target for green areas per capita for new urban development and considers that that target should be included in the SUMPs so as to prevent any reduction in green areas in urban areas not reaching this target; |
Sustainable Urban Management
|
14. |
Calls on the Member States to prioritise within their national strategic reference frameworks and their operational programmes funding for projects which implement sustainable urban management and transport plans, as well as projects limiting greenfield and promoting brownfield developments , and to promote the planting of street trees and designation of more green space; |
|
15. |
Calls on the Member States to promote the use of the Environmental Management and Audit Scheme by local authorities; |
|
16. |
Calls on urban authorities to make systematic reference to sustainability criteria in their public procurement tenders and to incorporate commitments to that effect in SUMPs; |
|
17. |
Supports the promotion of composting, as opposed to burning, waste vegetation in order to avoid locally occurring pollution; |
|
18. |
Considers it also important to get citizens more involved in local decisions both by political and technical means; |
|
19. |
Believes that more attention should be paid to preventing and removing dirt, litter, graffiti, animals' excrement and excessive noise from domestic and vehicular music systems; |
Sustainable Urban Transport
|
20. |
Supports the idea of sustainable urban transport plans (SUTPs) as an instrument for improving the urban environment, but stresses the need to use this instrument in a flexible way, in order for the specific needs of each Member State and its urban areas, and, moreover, of regions affected by specific constraints, to be sufficiently taken into account; |
|
21. |
Stresses that SUTPs should contain concrete and quantifiable targets that can be presented and monitored by means of a scoreboard, which would enhance the dissemination of best practice among Member States; points out that SUTPs should be flexible enough to accommodate new developments; |
|
22. |
Considers the use of environment-friendly modes of transport and technologies to be a key factor in achieving a cleaner urban environment; notes in this respect in particular the use of bio-fuels, hybrid car technologies, bicycles, and trucks and buses that meet the EU's enhanced environment-friendly vehicle (EEV) standard (8); will accordingly give its keen attention to the Commission proposal on the introduction of clean public transport vehicles and proposes that the local energy efficiency agencies be allocated a specific field of activity relating to urban transport; |
|
23. |
Supports the development of public transport using sustainable energy sources and urges that a better balance be struck between individual and collective transport in urban areas; |
|
24. |
Points to the need to encourage greater use of public and collective transport in urban areas; also considers that urban transport services need to be geared both to the requirements of spatial planning (old town districts, outer areas, links to airports, stations, industrial estates, shopping areas, etc.) and to the needs of the public and demographic changes (older people, people with disabilities, etc.); |
|
25. |
Calls on the Member States, in cooperation with local authorities, to make efforts to achieve a shift in inner-city passenger kilometres of at least 5 % to sustainable transport methods, such as public transportation and cycling, within the period of 2002-2012; |
|
26. |
Stresses that access to mobility for all (also those without access to a private car) is a social factor that needs consideration; |
|
27. |
Given that accessibility is central to sustainable development and must be tackled by an integrated urban policy approach, calls on the EU institutions to foster exchanges of good practice among local and national authorities and calls on the Commission to monitor the enforcement of the existing European legislation to promote accessibility for people with disabilities, and in particular of the rules governing the specific Community procurement procedures, which expressly require design to be tailored to all users; |
|
28. |
Considers that SUTPs should include the means by which local authorities intend to:
|
|
29. |
Reminds the Member States of their responsibility to take into account the most vulnerable transport users in the design of cities, for example by lowering speed limits or by implementing car-free zones in city centres or residential areas, with the aim of reducing road deaths by 50 % by 2010, as set out in the White Paper on European Transport Policy; |
|
30. |
Proposes the establishment of city logistical plans in order to reduce and improve the transport of goods within cities, including, in particular, coordination of goods distribution locally within cities; |
|
31. |
Recalls that air pollution is a major cause of health problems in the EU; stresses therefore that cities with high air pollution should consider establishing low emission zones; |
|
32. |
Supports combating emissions at source and implementing innovative measures aimed at solving environmental problems in cities; emphasises that studies have shown that goods traffic produces up to 38 % fewer particulate emissions when moving than when stationary and that innovative measures are therefore needed to aid traffic flow; |
|
33. |
Urges better coordination between local authorities with a view to ensuring a certain level of coherence. Poor coordination between local authorities leads to higher delivery costs, more traffic and therefore more pollution; |
Sustainable Urban Planning
|
34. |
Notes that the Commission appropriately identified the problems and the current situation in this field; however, it did not propose any action to resolve it; |
|
35. |
Stresses the importance of planning and design of estates and tower blocks in crime prevention, and also for public areas such as car parks and routes to and from railway stations; |
|
36. |
Emphasises also the social dimension of sustainable urban planning and recommends the general improvement of quality of life in inner-city areas through a holistic (in particular social, cultural and environmental) approach; |
|
37. |
Calls for an attempt to be made, in new developments and urban expansion, for the topography and natural structure of the land to be respected so that the identity and appearance of each area may be preserved; |
|
38. |
Suggests that urban planning should involve the provision of more green areas, and that, in the processes of expansion and new development, enough natural areas be left for the public to be able to commune with nature; |
|
39. |
As a precautionary measure to preserve historical areas, natural areas, rivers, lakes and wetlands, calls for protection zones to be created around such areas, within which, in order to resist pressure to develop, there are very few possibilities to build; |
|
40. |
Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote research into the relationship between the various urban models and social behaviour, as well as into the conditions that foster social harmony and health; |
|
41. |
Stresses that some historic quarters — valuable parts of our common heritage — have been abandoned for decades in the cities; recommends the setting-up of national, regional or local support programmes in order to promote adequate rehabilitation of these areas, including architecture, open spaces and squares, as well as riverside areas, bridges and other public works; |
|
42. |
Takes the view that in order to tackle the problem of climate change in cities, such as the lack of natural ventilation resulting in periods of very high temperatures and heavy air pollution, city-climate research should be included in urban planning in order to avoid the wind tunnel effect of high buildings; stresses that the loss of green spaces decreases natural ventilation; |
|
43. |
Urges the Member States to promote projects co-financed by the EU related to the development and modernisation of district heating and to support increased building and use of district heating; stresses, in this respect, that in case of an energy crisis, a switch to a different energy source is easier to achieve with district heating; |
|
44. |
Emphasises the fact that new methods of water management in cities should be developed, aiming to keep rainwater in cities for longer periods during hot and dry summers , prevent flash flooding and avoid housing and other developments on flood plains; |
|
45. |
Proposes that Community guidelines should be established for the promotion and implementation of sustainable water resource management in cities, aiming to adapt to the impact of Climate Change, including requirements for water efficiency in new buildings, water conservation in wet periods for the dry and hot periods, maintenance of water bodies in hot periods as cooling systems and Sustainable Urban Drainage in order to decrease run-off and flood risk, reduce soil sealing and increase water conservation; |
|
46. |
Considers that, when the thematic strategy is implemented, attention should be paid not only to the quantity but also to the quality of water; therefore calls on the Commission to support the sharing of good practice in this area when connection is sought to networks that have already been set up as part of the implementation of the Water Directive; |
|
47. |
Emphasises the importance of renovating old water pipes and drainage systems in cities; |
Sustainable Urban Construction
|
48. |
Regrets that although Sustainable Urban Construction was identified as one of the four focus areas of the ‘Towards a Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment’, the proposed strategy lacks any specific action in this field; |
|
49. |
Stresses the importance of increasing the environmental performance of buildings with energy efficient house design (insulation, renewable energy use, green roofs, passive/active solar design, low energy houses etc.); supports the use of renewable as well as, if possible, locally available energy sources in the urban environment as well as water efficient building design (conservation and re-use of rainwater, rational flush of toilets, water efficient washing machines and dishwashers); further recommends benchmarking and EU-wide sharing of best practice in improving energy efficiency, the introduction of renewable energies and progress in sustainable urban construction in general; |
Financing, research and exchange of best practices
|
50. |
Emphasises the need to support the introduction of such initiatives with adequate EU funding, especially from specific programmes and funds such as Civitas (9); supports the Commission's view that there are opportunities for obtaining financial assistance to address environmental priorities in urban areas under the proposed Life+ Regulation, the Cohesion Fund, the Structural Funds and the research framework programme, and is consequently opposed to any cuts in their budgets. Points, however, to the need to identify sources of additional specific funding to meet the new challenges arising from the strategy for the urban environment; |
|
51. |
Endorses the Commission's recommendations that an integrated approach be taken to managing the urban environment and takes the view that, if applied at local level with the support of the Member States, such an approach should be taken as one of the criteria for the granting of Structural Funds resources and loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB); |
|
52. |
Calls on the EIB to improve its lending instruments to effectively support sustainable urban development and to prioritise in existing programmes urban projects which implement SUMPs, in particular in the area of energy efficiency, renewable energies, and sustainable urban transport infrastructure; further calls on the EIB to ensure that investments funded by it do not contradict sustainable urban management objectives; |
|
53. |
Emphasises the significance of research in connection with urban policy, including issues relating to electricity and gas supplies, heating and air conditioning and waste treatment, and calls on the Commission to re-incorporate specific provisions dealing with this issue in the 7th Framework Programme on Research; |
|
54. |
Considers it extremely important to support a network of national focal points on urban issues, such as the European Urban Knowledge Network, and welcomes the continuation of support for the URBACT programme within the framework of the proposed cohesion policy for 2007-2013; |
|
55. |
Calls for the promotion of exchange of best practice at EU level between urban authorities on the implementation of the strategy and SUMPs; furthermore proposes that, in order to avoid mistakes in urban development in the future, an honest and open exchange of negative experiences also be encouraged, by means of campaigns — which may be run by associations of towns — aimed at both civil servants and elected representatives; |
|
56. |
Urges the Commission to go into greater detail with regard to the significance of the relations between cities and their environs for sustainable urban development which contributes to the overall cohesion of the EU and, in this regard, calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote such sustainable urban development; |
|
57. |
Proposes that EU funding be allocated and used by Member States in order to retrofit buildings and neighbourhoods; |
Better law-making
|
58. |
Calls on the Commission and the Council to strike an inter-institutional agreement with the Parliament in which the three institutions express their dedication to the implementation of all existing Community legislation as mentioned in this resolution; is convinced that such an agreement would contribute to improving accountability and therefore to ‘better law-making’; |
*
* *
|
59. |
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, the European Investment Bank and the governments and parliaments of the Member States. |
(1) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0387.
(2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0020.
(3) OJ L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975, p. 39. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).
(5) OJ L 189, 18.7.2002, p. 12.
(6) OJ L 296, 21.11.1996, p. 55.
(7) OJ L 197, 21.7.2001, p. 30.
(8) Directive 2005/55/EC concerning the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants (OJ L 275, 20.10.2005, p. 1).
(9) Civitas: CIty-VITAlity-Sustainability, Civitas I (2002-2006) and Civitas II (2005-2009) have an overall budget of more than EUR 300 million.
P6_TA(2006)0368
A European Qualifications Framework
European Parliament resolution on the creation of a European Qualifications Framework (2006/2002(INI))
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Towards a European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning’ (SEC(2005)0957), |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning (COM(2004)0474), |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning (COM(2005)0548), |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Modernising education and training: a vital contribution to prosperity and social cohesion in Europe — Draft 2006 joint progress report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the’‘Education and Training 2010 work programme’ (COM(2005)0549), |
|
— |
having regard to the Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (1), |
|
— |
having regard to Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications (2), |
|
— |
having regard to the Joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education, adopted on their meeting in Bologna on 19 June 1999, which set the objective of creating a European area of higher education by 2010, in order to promote European citizens employability and mobility and the international competitiveness of the European higher education system, |
|
— |
having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Lisbon European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000, which set the strategic objective for the European Union to become the world's most dynamic knowledge-based economy, and in particular to the reference on ‘Education and training for living and working in the knowledge society’, |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality’ (COM(2001)0678), |
|
— |
having regard to the Council resolution of 27 June 2002 on lifelong learning (3), |
|
— |
having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Barcelona European Council of 15 and 16 March 2002, especially to the agreed goal of making education and training systems in Europe a world-wide quality reference by 2010, and to the call for further action to introduce instruments to ensure the transparency of diplomas and qualifications, including by promoting action similar to the Bologna process in the area of vocational education and training, |
|
— |
having regard to the declaration of the European Ministers of Vocational Education and training, and the Commission, who met in Copenhagen on 29 and 30 November 2002, on enhanced European cooperation in vocational education and training — ‘The Copenhagen Declaration’ — aiming to increase voluntary cooperation in vocational education and training, in order to promote mutual trust, transparency and recognition of competences and qualifications, and thereby establishing a basis for increasing mobility and facilitating access to lifelong learning, |
|
— |
having regard to the Council resolution of 19 December 2002 on the promotion of enhanced European cooperation in vocational education and training (4), |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Commission's Action Plan for skills and mobility’ (COM(2002)0072), |
|
— |
having regard to the Joint Interim Report of the Council and the Commission of 26 February 2004 on the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, entitled ‘Education and Training 2010: the success of Lisbon hinges on urgent reforms’, which called for the development of a European framework as an essential contribution towards the Lisbon Strategy, to stand as a common reference enabling and promoting transparency, transfer and recognition of qualifications and competences, |
|
— |
having regard to the Maastricht Communiqué of 14 December 2004 on the Future Priorities of Enhanced European Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (VET), in which the Ministers responsible for vocational education and training of 32 European countries, the European Social Partners and the European Commission agreed to give priority to the development of an open and flexible European Qualifications framework, founded on transparency and mutual trust and providing a common reference to facilitate the recognition and transferability of qualifications covering both VET and general (secondary and higher) education, |
|
— |
having regard to the Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, who met in Brussels on 27 and 28 May 2004, on Common European Principles for the identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning, |
|
— |
having regard to the Commission staff working paper entitled ‘Progress towards the Lisbon Strategy in education and training — 2005 report’ (SEC(2005)0419), |
|
— |
having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005 pointing to the importance of adopting a European Qualifications framework (EQF) in 2006, |
|
— |
having regard to the ‘European Qualifications Framework: Consultation to Recommendation Conference’, co-hosted by the Commission and the Hungarian Ministry of Education and held in Budapest on 27 and 28 February 2006, |
|
— |
having regard to the Final Communiqué on the Outcome of discussions on 17 March 2006 of the IX Conference of European Ministers of Education, ‘Strengthening Education in Europe’, held in Vienna on 16 and 17 March 2006, in which the Ministers reaffirmed the potential of the EQF to significantly contribute to the transparency, transferability and recognition of qualifications at the European level, and its role as an agent of reforms to support lifelong learning in the wider European area of education, |
|
— |
having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 23 and 24 March 2006 confirming that education and training are critical factors to developing the EU's long-term potential for competitiveness as well as for social and territorial cohesion, and that, in order to support greater mobility and an efficient labour market, progress on an EQF should also be achieved, |
|
— |
having regard to the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility (5), |
|
— |
having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
— |
having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Culture and Education and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (A6-0248/2006), |
|
A. |
whereas a single learning environment and a single employment market at European level are essential requirements if the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy are to be attained, |
|
B. |
whereas it is necessary to establish a European system for the recognition of qualifications and skills while at the same time respecting the rich diversity and special strengths of Europe's constituent territories, |
|
C. |
whereas the creation of an EQF based, inter alia, on the existing qualifications structures of the Bologna and Copenhagen processes, should be welcomed as an appropriate instrument by which to support the transparency, transferability, recognition and use of acquired qualifications and competences between different Member States and at different levels, as well as a means to facilitate access to lifelong learning opportunities for all citizens, |
|
D. |
whereas a common reference framework, based on skills, levels and learning outcomes, the EQF, could encourage the adoption of instruments to identify skills requirements, |
|
E. |
whereas the term ‘qualification’ should be taken to mean all the titles, qualifications, certificates and professional experience recognised in the European Union, |
|
F. |
whereas, taking account of the new challenges of the knowledge society and of demographic change, the development of an EQF would be crucial, notably in terms of both supporting employability and geographical mobility of the labour force in the EU and promoting competitiveness and social cohesion, in accordance with the Lisbon Strategy, |
|
G. |
whereas increasing professional mobility (the mobility of employees and undertakings) within the Union implies that certificates obtained in one Member State must be recognised and applicable in other Member States at the appropriate level, |
|
H. |
whereas continual updating and expansion of knowledge, skills and personal and professional competence and the EQF should contribute to modernising the education and training system and thus improve people's chances of finding a job and the prospects for mobility within the European area and create a climate of greater security at the workplace, in which the EQF should contribute to greater transparency in the recognition of qualifications gained and the equivalence of qualifications sought, thereby providing incentives for the improvement of the general and occupational training systems, which may also contribute to trainees' chances of employment, |
|
I. |
whereas the lack of suitable mechanisms, networks and cooperation between education and training providers and national authorities, the inadequacy of existing statutory provisions and in many cases the budgetary restrictions in Member States, are obstacles to the effective implementation of lifelong learning, the linkage between university education and employment and the more rapid imparting of the most up-to-date scientific and technological knowledge to workers, as well as to the efficient use of acquired knowledge and competences, |
|
J. |
whereas there is a lack of transparency in qualifications and a low recognition rate of foreign qualifications, |
|
K. |
whereas the common aim of the 32 states participating in the EQF consists in showing students and teachers the main routes to particular qualifications; and whereas it is important to show them how the reference levels match up with each other, to what extent transfers are possible and on what basis decisions are made on recognition of qualifications, |
|
L. |
whereas, in principle, the EQF should initially be implemented on a voluntary basis, and it involves no legal obligations, nevertheless it will provide an impetus for change by supporting reforms at the relevant levels, but must serve to promote transparency and equivalence as regards certificates issued at national and sectoral level, |
|
M. |
whereas the EQF will not replace but will complement national qualifications frameworks, and whereas the EQF should provide a broader framework to facilitate cooperation between Member States, social partners and other stakeholders at international level, |
|
N. |
convinced that the application of the EQF can be successful only if there is cooperation on a basis of trust and transparency when national qualifications are given an EQF reference level, and if the particularities and needs of the individual Member States are properly assessed, as well as if the EQF is created as an instrument for users and stakeholders, in order to give a picture of qualifications gained and sought to those applying it, while preserving self-sufficiency and autonomy of learning, |
|
1. |
Welcomes the Commission's initiative on modernising, continually improving and reinforcing European education and training systems and of opening consultations with a view to laying down a common reference framework for European certification systems; |
|
2. |
Welcomes the fact that EQF is built on learning outcomes, reflects the complexity of lifelong learning and stimulates national and sectoral reform processes; |
|
3. |
Considers that the EQF is a useful means by which to enhance and consolidate mutual trust in the various systems and fully supports its objectives, namely the achievement at European level of transparency in relation to qualifications, mobility for members of the professions and lifelong learning; |
|
4. |
Approves the establishment of a system based on common levels, instruments and principles which is both flexible and, at the same time, rooted in the principle of lifelong learning, but calls on the Commission to clarify the relationship between qualification levels, Directive 2005/36/EC, and the provisions for the certification of formal and informal learning, which already exist or are currently being established at national and regional level; |
|
5. |
Points out that one of the main tasks of the EQF must be to facilitate and promote the transfer of qualifications between different education and training systems, in order to make transnational professional mobility possible and better to meet the requirements of supply and demand in the European labour market; also points out that the EQF represents a suitable broader framework to provide an appropriate translation and communication instrument for establishing a common qualifications framework within Europe; |
|
6. |
On this basis, notes that the Commission proposal is a correct and necessary approach, even if it does not entirely meet the requirement of a transparent qualifications framework; calls for the eight proposed reference levels of the EQF to be revised and improved; takes the view that their descriptors should be expressed more concisely and comprehensibly and that it is important to distinguish clearly between the various reference levels, so that there can be a clear hierarchy of qualifications; |
|
7. |
Stresses that the competences set out in the eight-level descriptors should include knowledge not only of social and ethical, but also of cultural issues; |
|
8. |
Considers that the organisation and validation of lifelong learning are a matter for the Member States and cannot easily be brought within the purview of the EQF; |
|
9. |
Considers that the three horizontal areas (‘knowledge’, ‘skills’ and ‘personal and professional competence’) should also be revised to make them clearer and more comprehensible; |
|
10. |
Stresses, also, that the different types of learning outcome, taken together, form part of an educational whole that cannot be quantified simply in terms of the level achieved in each individual area; |
|
11. |
Regards the third horizontal area, ‘personal and professional competence’, as an interesting way in which directly to incorporate into the EQF the latest findings of modern research on learning; would, however, welcome a review that would make it clear how ‘soft skills’ and ‘personal competence’ could be tackled methodologically; |
|
12. |
Recalls that the EQF must serve primarily to classify certification procedures based on the outcome of vocational training and to that end, calls for simple, workable descriptors to be used and the number of levels reduced; notes that comparative experiments have shown that the more fragmented the levels and the more numerous the criteria, the more difficult it is to coordinate them; |
|
13. |
Takes the view that, as a meta-framework for all forms of learning, the EQF is also relevant to the labour market; welcomes the fact that, as a result of the Lisbon Strategy, greater attention is being devoted to lifelong learning in the workplace and hence to the recognition of qualifications acquired at work; stresses that each of the eight proposed reference levels should emphasise abilities that can be gained via various educational pathways and take account of professional abilities and experience as well as their potential value in terms of professional advancement; therefore calls for the descriptors to be changed, not only taking into account and maintaining the Bologna precepts linked to academic education, but complementing them by also taking greater account of vocational training and further training systems; |
|
14. |
Urges a change to the present system of automatically matching reference levels six, seven and eight to the three academic levels of the Bologna qualifications framework (bachelor, master and doctor), so that the individual's actual knowledge, abilities and personal and occupational skills gained are classified irrespective of the place they were acquired; |
|
15. |
Calls for the improvement of Table 2, which is intended further to explain the reference levels; considers that it should be clearly subordinated to the outcome-oriented approach, as it focuses on formal education; welcomes, therefore, the recommended cautious approach to Table 2; takes the view that the EQF as a general meta-framework should leave such questions of detail such as the design of Table 2 to actors at local or national level; |
|
16. |
Calls for stronger support and promotion of common European principles on providing and validating non-formal and informal learning processes on lifelong learning particularly regarding the acquisition of technological and scientific knowledge and skills and taking account of the particularities of the various professional disciplines and of the different regions and countries; takes the view that it is essential to pay particular attention to methods and systems of evaluating learning outcomes achieved by non-formal or informal methods, as the development of skills in the context of lifelong learning takes place in a wide range of everyday work situations; |
|
17. |
Maintains that the development of an EQF will lead to the introduction of common reference indicators, facilitating career planning by those in training and employment in the context of lifelong learning; |
|
18. |
Calls for every country to have its own national or regional qualifications frameworks, organised in cooperation with the responsible organisations and bodies as appropriate, ensuring compatibility with the EQF; takes the view that in countries which do not yet have a national qualifications framework and in which informal and non-formal qualifications are neglected, it makes sense for the EQF to be introduced; |
|
19. |
Calls on the Commission to launch the process of harmonising conceptual approaches and terms; |
|
20. |
Calls on the Commission to clarify the relationship between the framework of qualifications envisaged under the Bologna process and the EQF, and to specify whether the indicators proposed under the EQF will constitute the sole point of reference for a common European area of lifelong learning; |
|
21. |
Rejects the setting of prescriptive criteria for learning pathways or for the duration and location of education and training courses; |
|
22. |
Takes the view that further instruments to support the EQF should be fostered in order to facilitate public access to the EQF, with the main focus on the Copenhagen and Bologna conclusions, to which the EQF should form a logically structured starting point; takes the view that special attention should also be given to the contribution of international organisations and European centres such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training in the field of learning and the acquisition of qualifications and skills; calls on the Commission to progress the development of the European Credit of Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) system to further develop and promote the Europass and to develop the ‘Ploteus’ data bank and to promote further innovative approaches to the recognition of informal and non-formal learning; |
|
23. |
Calls on the Commission and the Member States to enhance the role and structure of the National Europass Centre (NEC) and to make it easier for the NEC to fulfil its core tasks and to achieve the objectives laid down by the European Union, with particular reference to the wider dissemination of the instruments directly managed by the NEC (European Curriculum Vitae, Mobility Europass) and the progressive adoption of the Europass system; |
|
24. |
Underlines that the implementation of EQF on a voluntary basis requires the support and commitment of national and sectoral stakeholders; |
|
25. |
Recognises that EQF, as a translation tool among different qualification systems, requires consistency and mutual trust; recommends that principles of transparent and trustworthy quality assurance mechanisms be drawn up so that comparisons may be made allowing for the mutual recognition of the qualifications of EU citizens; |
|
26. |
Emphasises that the EQF can make a significant contribution to the mobility of the European labour market if the decision of a Member State to match individual national qualifications to a particular EQF level is accepted by others; takes the view that, in the context of quality assurance, the Commission's proposal to oblige Member States to observe a number of common principles is an important element in the successful cooperation between stakeholders at various levels; notes, however, that this will only be the case if it does not duplicate existing quality assurances systems, such as the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance; |
|
27. |
Takes the view that mutual trust should be a result of increased cooperation between the Member States in the context of the EQF and also a precondition for the efficient functioning of the EQF an appropriate trial period, an impact assessment and a supporting evaluation are essential for the continual improvement and adaptation of the EQF; calls on the Commission to develop and propose appropriate methods and strategies to make this possible; |
|
28. |
Urges that EQF is further developed reflecting stakeholders' requests for clarification presented in the consultations process; |
|
29. |
Calls on the Commission to revise its proposal on the basis of Parliament's observations; |
|
30. |
Points to the importance of a wide and well-structured communication and dissemination strategy to raise awareness and interest in EQF's benefits; |
|
31. |
Takes the view that it is essential for the success of the EQF to provide something of practical use for end users, thus for citizens, employees and employers as well as for educational institutions; |
|
32. |
Calls on the Commission to brief Parliament on the outcome of the national consultations and to hold further exchanges of views before drawing up its final proposal; |
|
33. |
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission. |
(1) OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, p. 6.
(2) OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 22.
(5) Not yet published in OJ.
P6_TA(2006)0369
Banning seal products in the European Union
Declaration of the European Parliament on banning seal products in the European Union
The European Parliament,
|
— |
having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure, |
|
A. |
whereas more than one and a half million harp seal pups have been slaughtered in the North West Atlantic over the last four years and the vast majority of these animals were less than three months old, |
|
B. |
whereas the last time the annual number of seals now being killed was slaughtered in the 1950s and 1960s the seal population was reduced by two thirds, |
|
C. |
whereas, on average, sealers receive less than 5 % of their income from sealing, which provides only a few days' work each year, |
|
D. |
whereas a team of international veterinarians concluded that 42 % of the slaughtered seals they examined may have been skinned whilst still conscious, |
|
E. |
whereas the import of whitecoat harp seal and blueback hooded seal furs and furskin products was banned within the Community in 1983 pursuant to Directive 83/129/EEC (1); whereas sealers now wait a few days until harp seal pups have moulted and whereas the products of these animals are still imported into the European Union, |
|
F. |
whereas a number of EU countries (Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy) have already taken steps to ban the trade in seal products, and others (the UK and the Netherlands) are considering action, |
|
G. |
whereas the USA, Mexico and Croatia have banned the trade in seal products, |
|
H. |
whereas the Council of Europe is currently considering a motion that calls for a ban on the import and use of seals and seal parts, |
|
1. |
Requests the Commission to immediately draft a regulation to ban the import, export and sale of all harp and hooded seal products; |
|
2. |
Considers that this regulation should not have an impact on traditional Inuit seal hunting which, however, only accounts for 3% of the current hunt; |
|
3. |
Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council and the Commission. List of signatories Adamou, Agnoletto, Aita, Allister, Alvaro, Andersson, Andrejevs, Andria, Andrikienė, Angelilli, Antoniozzi, Arnaoutakis, Ashworth, Aubert, Audy, Auken, Aylward, Ayuso González, Battilocchio, Bauer, Beazley, Becsey, Beer, Belet, Belohorská, Bennahmias, Beňová, van den Berg, Berlinguer, Berman, Bielan, Blokland, Bösch, Bonde, Bono, Bonsignore, Bourlanges, Bowis, Bowles, Bozkurt, Braghetto, Brejc, Brepoels, Breyer, Březina, Brie, van Buitenen, Buitenweg, Bullmann, Bushill-Matthews, Busuttil, Buzek, Camre, Carlotti, Carnero González, Casa, Casaca, Cashman, Catania, Cavada, Chatzimarkakis, Chmielewski, Christensen, Chruszcz, Claeys, Cocilovo, Cohn-Bendit, Corbett, Corbey, Correia, Coûteaux, Coveney, Cramer, Crowley, Czarnecki M., Czarnecki R., Daul, Davies, De Blasio, de Brún, Deprez, De Rossa, Descamps, Dess, Deva, De Vits, Díez González, Dillen, Doorn, Douay, Dover, Doyle, Drčar Murko, Dührkop Dührkop, Duff, Duka-Zólyomi, Ek, El Khadraoui, Elles, Estrela, Ettl, Eurlings, Evans Jillian, Evans Robert, Falbr, Fazakas, Ferber, Fernandes, Ferreira A., Ferreira E., Flasarová, Flautre, Florenz, Foltyn-Kubicka, Ford, Frassoni, Gahler, Gaľa, García Pérez, Gauzès, Gawronski, Geremek, Geringer de Oedenberg, Gibault, Gierek, Gill, Goepel, Golik, Gollnisch, Gomes, Gomolka, Gottardi, Goudin, Grabowska, Grabowski, Graefe zu Baringdorf, Grässle, de Grandes Pascual, Grech, Gröner, de Groen-Kouwenhoven, Grosch, Grossetête, Guardans Cambó, Guidoni, Gurmai, Hall, Hammerstein Mintz, Handzlik, Harbour, Harkin, Harms, Hasse Ferreira, Hassi, Hatzidakis, Hazan, Heaton-Harris, Hedh, Hedkvist Petersen, Hegyi, Henin, Hennis-Plasschaert, Herranz García, Higgins, Honeyball, Hoppenstedt, Horáček, Howitt, Hudacký, Hughes, Hutchinson, in 't Veld, Isler Béguin, Jackson, Jäätteenmäki, Jałowiecki, Janowski, Jeggle, Joan i Marí, Jørgensen, Jonckheer, Jordan Cizelj, Kacin, Kaczmarek, Kallenbach, Karatzaferis, Karim, Kasoulides, Kaufmann, Kauppi, Kelam, Kinnock, Kirkhope, Klamt, Klich, Klinz, Koch, Koch-Mehrin, Korhola, Koterec, Krahmer, Krarup, Krasts, Krehl, Kristensen, Kristovskis, Kuc, Kułakowski, Kusstatscher, Kużmiuk, Lagendijk, Lamassoure, Lambert, Lambrinidis, Landsbergis, Lang, La Russa, Lehideux, Leichtfried, Le Pen J.-M., Le Pen M., Le Rachinel, Liberadzki, Libicki, Lichtenberger, Lienemann, Liese, Liotard, Lipietz, Locatelli, López-Istúriz White, Lucas, Ludford, Lynne, Maat, Maaten, McAvan, McCarthy, McDonald, McGuinness, McMillan-Scott, Madeira, Malmström, Mann E., Mann T., Mantovani, Markov, Martin D., Martin H.-P., Martinez, Masiel, Maštálka, Mastenbroek, Mathieu, Matsakis, Matsis, Matsouka, Mavrommatis, Mayer, Meijer, Mikko, Mikolášik, Mitchell, Mohácsi, Moraes, Morgan, Morgantini, Mulder, Musacchio, Muscardini, Muscat, Musumeci, Myller, Napoletano, Nattrass, Navarro, Newton-Dunn, Nicholson, van Nistelrooij, Obiols i Germà, Occhetto, Özdemir, Olajos, Olbrycht, Ó Neachtain, Onesta, Oomen-Ruijten, Ortuondo Larrea, Ouzký, Paasilinna, Paleckis, Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Pannella, Panzeri, Parish, Patrie, Peterle, Pflüger, Piecyk, Pieper, Pīks, Pinheiro, Pinior, Pirilli, Piskorski, Pistelli, Pittella, Podestà, Podkański, Pomés Ruiz, Portas, Posselt, Prets, Prodi, Protasiewicz, Ransdorf, Rasmussen, Remek, Resetarits, Reul, Reynaud, Ribeiro e Castro, Ries, Rizzo, Rocard, Rogalski, Romagnoli, Romeva i Rueda, Roth-Behrendt, Rothe, Rouček, Roure, Rühle, Rutowicz, Ryan, Sacconi, Sakalas, Salinas García, Samuelsen, dos Santos, Sartori, Saryusz-Wolski, Scheele, Schenardi, Schlyter, Schmidt, Schnellhardt, Schröder, Schroedter, Seeber, Seeberg, Segelström, Seppänen, Siekierski, Simpson, Sinnott, Siwiec, Sjöstedt, Skinner, Škottová, Smith, Sommer, Sornosa Martínez, Sousa Pinto, Spautz, Staes, Staniszewska, Stauner, Stihler, Strož, Stubb, Sudre, Sumberg, Svensson, Swoboda, Szájer, Szejna, Szymański, Tannock, Tarabella, Tarand, Tatarella, Thomsen, Thyssen, Titley, Trakatellis, Triantaphyllides, Trüpel, Turmes, Tzampazi, Uca, Ulmer, Vaidere, Vakalis, Vanhecke, Van Hecke, Van Lancker, Van Orden, Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, Veneto, Veraldi, Vergnaud, Vincenzi, Voggenhuber, Wagenknecht, Watson, Weber M., Weisgerber, Westlund, Willmott, Wojciechowski J., Wurtz, Wynn, Xenogiannakopoulou, Yañez-Barnuevo García, Zaleski, Zapałowski, Zappala', Zatloukal, Ždanoka, Zīle, Zimmer, Zingaretti, Zvěřina, Zwiefka |