# CE2004070EN.01015601.xml

| 20.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 70/156 |
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20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 70/156

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(2004/C 70 E/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2891/03

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 September 2003)

Subject:   Inadequate measures relating to safely at work in Greece

Subject:

The recent occupational accident in the meat processing factory ‘Floridi Brothers’ on the boundary between Agios Ioannis Rendis and Moschato in Attica, which caused the tragic death of two workers, again turned the spotlight on the problem of inadequate preventive measures in relation to safety at work.

Despite the fall in the number of fatal accidents at work in Greece (153 deaths were recorded in 2002 compared with 181 in 2001, and 62 workers died at work in the first half of 2003), the problem remains serious.

| 1. | Can the Commission say where Greece stands by comparison with the other Member States, in absolute and relative terms (per thousand inhabitants, for example), as regards the number of accidents and deaths over the period 2000-2002? |
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1.

Can the Commission say where Greece stands by comparison with the other Member States, in absolute and relative terms (per thousand inhabitants, for example), as regards the number of accidents and deaths over the period 2000-2002?

| 2. | Is the Commission satisfied with the transposition and implementation of Community law in Greece as regards safety and the prevention of accidents at work, and if not, what steps will it take to guarantee its implementation? |
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2.

Is the Commission satisfied with the transposition and implementation of Community law in Greece as regards safety and the prevention of accidents at work, and if not, what steps will it take to guarantee its implementation?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2003)

(14 November 2003)

| 1. | The Commission shares the Honourable Member's concern regarding the number of fatal accidents at work. The Commission's objective, as described in its communication Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006' (1), is a continual reduction in the number of accidents at work, including fatal accidents. The new strategy is based on consolidating a culture of risk prevention, on combining a variety of political instruments — legislation, social dialogue, innovative approaches and identifying best practice, corporate social responsibility, economic incentives — and on building partnerships between all players in the field of health and safety.
  The Commission has had harmonised figures relating to accidents at work in the Member States since 1994, and would like to draw the Honourable Member's attention to the fact that Eurostat receives data from the Greek National Statistical Institute produced on the basis of the ESAW (2) harmonisation methodology. Since ESAW data on Greece covers only salaried workers, accidents among self-employed workers are not included in these statistics. Furthermore, in view of the need to harmonise sources from different countries, the ESAW data cover only accidents that happen at work and not those that occur during the return journey between home and work.
  The latest ESAW figures, from 2000, show that there has been an improvement in Greece, both in the number of accidents in absolute terms and in the standardised incidence rate of fatal accidents at work per 100 000 persons in employment. To be precise, 83 workers died in 1994 and the incidence rate was 4,3, whereas 57 workers died in 2000 and the incidence rate was 2,7. The situation for accidents at work that result in more than three days' absence has also improved in Greece since 1994, both in absolute terms (39 098 accidents in 2000 compared with 53 829 in 1994) and in terms of the standardised incidence rate (2 595 in 2000 compared with 3 702 in 2000). However, although the ESAW methodology produces harmonised statistical data, differences in the proportion of accidents declared in each country mean that it remains difficult to make comparisons between the Member States. |
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1.

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's concern regarding the number of fatal accidents at work. The Commission's objective, as described in its communication Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006' (1), is a continual reduction in the number of accidents at work, including fatal accidents. The new strategy is based on consolidating a culture of risk prevention, on combining a variety of political instruments — legislation, social dialogue, innovative approaches and identifying best practice, corporate social responsibility, economic incentives — and on building partnerships between all players in the field of health and safety.

1

The Commission has had harmonised figures relating to accidents at work in the Member States since 1994, and would like to draw the Honourable Member's attention to the fact that Eurostat receives data from the Greek National Statistical Institute produced on the basis of the ESAW (2) harmonisation methodology. Since ESAW data on Greece covers only salaried workers, accidents among self-employed workers are not included in these statistics. Furthermore, in view of the need to harmonise sources from different countries, the ESAW data cover only accidents that happen at work and not those that occur during the return journey between home and work.

2

The latest ESAW figures, from 2000, show that there has been an improvement in Greece, both in the number of accidents in absolute terms and in the standardised incidence rate of fatal accidents at work per 100 000 persons in employment. To be precise, 83 workers died in 1994 and the incidence rate was 4,3, whereas 57 workers died in 2000 and the incidence rate was 2,7. The situation for accidents at work that result in more than three days' absence has also improved in Greece since 1994, both in absolute terms (39 098 accidents in 2000 compared with 53 829 in 1994) and in terms of the standardised incidence rate (2 595 in 2000 compared with 3 702 in 2000). However, although the ESAW methodology produces harmonised statistical data, differences in the proportion of accidents declared in each country mean that it remains difficult to make comparisons between the Member States.

| 2. | With regard to the Honourable Member's questions on both the transposition and implementation of Community law in Greece in matters relating to safety and the prevention of accidents at work, it should be noted that the Directives must be transposed by the Member States and it is their responsibility to ensure adequate control and monitoring of the national provisions transposing Community Directives on the health and safety of workers at work (cf. Article 4 of Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (3)). Accordingly, it is for the Greek authorities, in this case the labour inspectorates, to ensure that these measures are correctly and effectively applied.
  However, if the Commission had firm evidence of a general failure to implement national law transposing the Community Directives, it could make use of the Treaty provisions, in particular those under Article 226.
  Greece has notified the Commission of its measures to transpose the Directives on health and safety at work. However, following a complaint which may expose a general failure to implement Greek law transposing the Community Directives on the health and safety of workers, the Commission has sent the Greek Government a letter of formal notice regarding implementation of Directive 89/391/EEC and is now awaiting the Greek authorities' response. |
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2.

With regard to the Honourable Member's questions on both the transposition and implementation of Community law in Greece in matters relating to safety and the prevention of accidents at work, it should be noted that the Directives must be transposed by the Member States and it is their responsibility to ensure adequate control and monitoring of the national provisions transposing Community Directives on the health and safety of workers at work (cf. Article 4 of Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (3)). Accordingly, it is for the Greek authorities, in this case the labour inspectorates, to ensure that these measures are correctly and effectively applied.

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However, if the Commission had firm evidence of a general failure to implement national law transposing the Community Directives, it could make use of the Treaty provisions, in particular those under Article 226.

Greece has notified the Commission of its measures to transpose the Directives on health and safety at work. However, following a complaint which may expose a general failure to implement Greek law transposing the Community Directives on the health and safety of workers, the Commission has sent the Greek Government a letter of formal notice regarding implementation of Directive 89/391/EEC and is now awaiting the Greek authorities' response.

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(1)  COM(2002) 118 final, of 11.03.2002.

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(2)  European Statistics on Accidents at Work.

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(3)  OJ L 183, 29.6.1989, p. 1.

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