§ Mr. HowardTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she has asked the European Commission for full impact statements on the proposed items of European Union Legislation relating to(a) intellectual property rights, (b) financial services (distance contracts), (c) electronic waste, (d) air quality, (e) national emissions ceilings and (f) electric sockets, plugs and bases for 16 amp-250 volts for domestic uses.[14201]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 3 November 1997]The Government encourage the Commission to prepare impact assessments where there may be a significant impact on business. We are working with the Commission and other Member States to improve the system of impact assessment at European levels.
53WThere are, among the policy areas cited, current legislative proposals in the areas of intellectual property and emissions and air quality, where the Commission has prepared impact assessments. In intellectual property rights, the UK opposes the draft directive on artists' re-sale rights and is pressing the Commission to consider more fully the impact upon business. In the area of air quality and vehicle emissions, the Commission has produced impact assessment work for the proposals currently being negotiated. In the other areas cited, electronic waste, distance selling of financial services and the domestic usage of electrical plugs and sockets, there are not published Commission legislative proposals at present. However, we understand that the Commission is preparing a draft Directive on the distance selling of financial services, which features in the Action Plan for completion of the Single Market. The Commission has not included any proposals for electronic waste or for domestic plugs and sockets in its 1997 Work Programme.