51999PC0386

Amended proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on action to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants by engines intended to power agricultural or forestry tractors and amending Council Directive 74/150/EEC (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC-Treaty)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Following the opinion [1] of the European Parliament adopted on 5 May 1999 on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on action to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants by engines intended to power agricultural or forestry tractors and amending Council Directive 74/150/EEC (COM(98)0472 - C4-0512/98 - 98/0247(COD)) and in accordance with Article 250 of the EC Treaty, the Commission has decided to amend its proposal.

[1] PE 279.324, p. 60.

Of the four amendments proposed by Parliament, the Commission accepts two –amendments 1 and 3.

Amendment 1 consists in inserting a new recital referring explicitly to the «modus vivendi» between Parliament and the Commission in the comitology procedure.

Amendment 3 consists in replacing «sufficiently early» by «as soon as possible» in Article 7(3) relating to tax incentives.

Amendment 2, which called for a proposal by the end of 2002 for a third stage in the reduction of emission limit values, is not acceptable, since the Directive will not be incorporated into national law until 2001 and the second stage will be implemented until 2003, with the result that there will not be a sufficient basis for assessing the economic and industrial consequences.

Amendment 4, dealing with the procedure for adaptation to technical progress, is out of place in this separate directive. Its subject is covered by the framework directive 74/150/EEC which is due to be recast in the near future.

Amended proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on action to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants by engines intended to power agricultural or forestry tractors and amending Council Directive 74/150/EEC (Text with EEA relevance)

Recital 8a (new)

Amended text (new)

(8a) Whereas an agreement on a modus vivendi between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission concerning the implementing measures for acts adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the EC Treaty was reached on 20 December 1994(1);

(1) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 1.

Article 7(3)

Initial text

3. The Commission shall be informed of any plans to introduce or change any of the tax incentives referred to in the first paragraph sufficiently early for it to comment thereon.

Amended text

3. The Commission shall be informed of any plans to introduce or change any of the tax incentives referred to in the first paragraph as soon as possible for it to comment thereon.