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(2004/C 84 E/0521)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0734/04

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 March 2004)

Subject:   Skiing safety and standardisation

Is the Commission aware that the grading of green, blue, red and black on ski-runs in different resorts and different countries can vary considerably?

Is the Commission concerned that such variation can not only be misleading to consumers, but may also constitute a safety risk to skiers who could find themselves on runs that are beyond their abilities?

Will the Commission agree to look at this issue, with a view to considering some form of standardisation?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2004)

The Commission is aware of differences in the grading of green, blue, red and black ski runs in different European countries and between different skiing areas. The colour grading is in most cases based on recommendations from the relevant national organisations, including the skiing federations and the cable lift organisations in the ski centres. According to the representatives of the relevant organisations, the grading in different countries does not vary significantly. Black ski runs are the most difficult ones, and the grading is based on the average steepness of the run as a percentage and/or in degrees, as well as the general characteristics of the run including width and curves. The exact borderline between the categories differs to some degree in the different guidelines, so that for example some red runs in one country might have been black in another country. The issue of further harmonisation of the exact borderlines based on safety concerns has not been discussed in the relevant organisations since grading of runs is not reported to have been a major cause of accidents.

In June 2003, the Commission adopted a general report on the safety of consumer services (1) which was also submitted to the Parliament. The preliminary report identified tourism and sports and leisure services (including skiing) as the key sectors for further initiatives at European level. Based on investigations of the policies and legislation in Member States, the Commission's conclusion in the report is that there is a major lack of knowledge about risks in the area and that there is no evidence, at this stage, of distortions to the internal market which would justify harmonised European legislation. Therefore the Commission proposes, as a first step, to establish a legal framework in order to improve the knowledge base with regard to accidents and injuries, to establish a procedure for exchange of information and a procedure for the development of standards where this is deemed appropriate.

The Council in its Resolution of 1 December 2003 on safety of services for consumers (2) supported the Commission's approach in this area. The Commission is now in the process of following up the report, in particular identifying priorities for action and assessing options. The skiing sector will be considered in this context.

In the more general field of work on standardisation of services, the Commission recently mandated the European standardisation organisations (European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), European Committee for Electro-technical Standardisation (Cenelec) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)) to develop a standardisation work programme to support the internal market for services. These organisations will consider the priorities for standardisation, including standardisation of safety issues, and present their work programme to the Commission by the end of 2004.

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(1)  COM(2003) 313 final.

(2)OJ C 299, 10.12.2003.

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