91999E1063

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1063/99

by Marie-Paule Kestelijn-Sierens (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 April 1999)

Subject: Extension of the transitional period laid down in Directive 80/181/EEC as regards labelling in various units of measurement

Pursuant to Directive 80/181/EEC(1), measurements in the EU may be expressed only in metric units from the end of 1999. In February 1999, the Commission approved a proposal for extending the transitional period laid down in Directive 80/181/EEC until the end of 2009.

This welcome though late decision by the Commission is raising a good many questions in the sectors concerned, which fear that the procedure for definitively adopting the proposal will not be completed before the end of 1999. With just a few months to go, they still do not know whether entry into force of the provisions of Directive 80/181/EEC is to be postponed or not.

Will the Commission explain what will happen if the current proposal for amending the Directive is not definitively adopted by the end of 1999? Will the present Directive's provisions enter into force, or can the Commission do something to suspend their entry into force?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1999)

The Commission adopted on 4 February 1999 its proposal(2) to amend Council Directive 80/181/EEC of 20 December 1979 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement and on the repeal of Directive 71/354/EEC, which was forthwith transmitted to the Parliament and Council. In accordance with Article 95 of the EC Treaty (ex Article 100 a) there is no alternative method of changing the provisions of an existing Council directive except through the relevant procedure, in this case the co-decision procedure.

Recognising the importance of the adoption of this amendment in due time for the market operators and sharing the concerns of the Honourable Member, the Commission would therefore urge the Parliament and Council to move swiftly so that the adoption of the amendment can take place before the end of 1999.

However, in case it would appear that the amendment could not be adopted in due time, the Commission with the Member States will consider, depending on the progress of the proposal at the time, appropriate action to overcome any possible incoherence until the final adoption.

(1) OJ L 39, 15.2.1980, p. 40.

(2) COM(99) 40 final.