92003E1966

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1966/03

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Incineration of Irish clinical waste in the UK

On page 7 of its report on the implementation of Community waste legislation for the period 1998-2000(1) published on 19 May 2003, the Commission says that it is considering initiating procedures under Article 226 of the Treaty against Member States where significant deficiencies remain in the reports submitted by Member States.

In relation to Article 7(2) of the 1975 Waste Directive 75/442/EEC(2), which deals with the issue of collaboration on waste between Member States, the Commission states on page 13 that, in its previous submission, the UK referred to collaboration between it and Ireland concerning the incineration of clinical waste in the UK but that Ireland did not supply any details.

What is the Commission's view of Ireland's failure to supply details about the export to and incineration of Irish clinical waste in the UK? Does this constitute one of the significant deficiencies in respect of which it is considering initiating legal procedures?

(1) COM(2003) 250 final.

(2) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975, p. 39.

Joint answerto Written Questions E-1965/03, E-1966/03, E-1967/03 and E-1968/03given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2003)

All four written questions of the Honourable Member refer to items as presented in the Commission's report on the implementation of Community waste legislation for the period 1998-2000(1) and they are therefore considered together.

As stated in the introduction to the aforementioned report, the latter is drawn up on the basis of the replies of the Member States to questionnaires established to this effect. These replies may reasonably vary in detail from one Member State to another and often contain only an update of the situation as compared to the previous reporting period. When important information is lacking, preventing the Commission from properly fulfilling its reporting duties, this may suggest a breach of the reporting obligations of a Member State. In this context however, the cases pointed out by the Honourable Member cannot be considered as justifying the initiation of infringement proceedings.

Regarding in particular question E-1968/03 on the treatment of hazardous waste in Ireland, the comment stating that the total figure of hazardous waste reported accounts for approximately 97 % of the actual, was made by the Irish authorities in their reply to the questionnaire and only referred to hazardous waste treated outside Ireland. The information provided does not specify how the remaining 3 % was treated.

(1) COM(2003) 250 final.