91997E3062

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3062/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 October 1997)

Subject: Emissions of organic compounds

With regard to the proposal for a Council directive on limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities (COM(96) 538 final - 96/0276 SYN) ((OJ C 99, 26.3.1997, p. 32. )), will the Commission take account of the economic impact of the proposal, which may be extensive for certain industrial sectors, undermining competitiveness and possibly reducing employment? Will it also say what effect the proposed measures will have on costs in the various regions and whether the criteria for the harmonization of these measures are justified given the different situations as regards air quality in the various regions of the Community?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (10 November 1997)

In drawing up its proposal for a Council Directive on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities, the Commission took great care to define the VOC emission requirements for the different industrial sectors falling within its scope. Various sectoral analyses indicated the potential for reducing VOC emissions in each sector through the use of best available techniques. The fullest account was taken of these technical and economic considerations in setting the emission limits and solvent consumption thresholds above which an installation falls within the scope of the Directive.

Furthermore, the proposal contains a number of flexibility parameters and an appropriate timetable to promote innovation by encouraging industry to develop and implement alternative solutions to the use of organic solvents.

The level of harmonisation opted for by the Commission is justified by the cross-border nature of ozone pollution. Nonetheless, the legal basis of the proposal (Article 130s of the EC Treaty) allows Member States who so wish to adopt more stringent protective measures than those laid down in this Directive.

The cost impact of the proposed measures will depend on the industrial structure of each region. The possibility for a Member State to implement the Directive by means of a national plan will enable any regional disparities to be taken into account.