10.5.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC129/1
II
(PreparatoryActs)
ECONOMIC ANDSOCIALCOMMITTEE
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveamendingDirective89/686/EEConthe
approximation ofthelawsoftheMemberStatesrelatingtopersonalprotectiveequipment
(93/C129/01)
On4February1993theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle100AoftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforIndustry,Commerce,CraftsandServices,whichwasresponsibleforpreparing
theCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon3March1993.TheRapporteur
wasMrPearson.
Atits304thPlenarySession(meetingof24March1993)theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedthefollowingOpinionunanimously .
markrecognition,duetohaphazardappointmentof
ApprovedInspectionBodies,TestStationsandcertifi­
cationorganizations ,hascreatedconfusionformanu­
facturers,thusexposinglargenumbersofuserstorisk.
1.3.Asthedateoftheterminationofthetransitional
periodhasalreadypassed,theCommitteeacceptsthat
anextensionhastobemade—thereisnootherchoice.
HoweveritbelievesthattheCouncilshouldagreeto
anextensionoftwelvemonthsonly(to31December
1993)andthatareportbeavailableonthepositionat
thattime.Thematterisofsuchwiderangingimport­
ance,wellbeyondonlythoseinvolvedintheworkplace,
thatprogressrequirestobeconstantlymonitored.A
twelvemonthextensionshouldenablethistobedone.1.Generalcomments
1.1.TheCommitteehasconsideredthetabled
amendmenttoCouncilDirective89/686/EECconcern­
ingtheapproximation ofthelawsofMemberStates
relatingtopersonalprotectionequipment,inwhichit
isproposedthatthedeadlinefortheimplementation
ofthetransitionalperiodbeextendedbytwoyearsto
31December1994.DespitethebasisoftheDirective
beingthatofthe'newapproach',pressureontheEuro­
peanCommitteeforStandardization (CEN)hasbeen
suchthatalargenumberofstandardsremained
unspecifiedattheendof1992.
1.2.TheCommitteefindsthissituationverydifficult
toaccept:itisoftheviewthattheperiodintheDirective
shouldhavebeenadequatehadthevitalsenseofpri­
oritybeengiventotheimplementation ofthesafety
andhealthmeasureswhichaffectsomanycitizens.
Notwithstanding anumberofoperatingdifficulties
encounteredbytheCommissionandothers,theCom­
mitteebelievesthattheCommissionshouldhavegiven
greaterattentiontoimplementation .ItthinksthatCEN
mustshowgreaterdiligenceinmeetingtheobligations
itacceptsfromtheCommission .Itfurtherbelievesthat
theMemberStateshavefailedtogivethenecessary
energyandattentiontoenablethedeadlinestobemet.2.Specificcomments
2.1.InitsOpiniongivenon27October1988(!)on
theDraftDirective89/686/EECtheCommitteemadea
numberofspecificcomments.Itispleasedthatthe
majorityofthesewereacceptedbutnowsuggeststhat
1.2.1.Uneventransportation andthelackofnational
legislation,togetherwiththeinabilitytoobtainCE(')OJNo337,31.12.1988,p.37.

NoC129/2 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 10.5.93
c)thenecessitytomakeitclearthatpersonalprotec­
tionequipmentnotinconformitywiththeECmark
andhavingthatmarkwithdrawn,shouldhavenoti­
ficationofsuchwithdrawalpublishedintheOfficial
Journalandgenerallymadepublic(3.5.2inthe
Opinion).afurtheramendingDirectiveshouldbetabledtotake
accountofthefollowingitemsnotadoptedfromthat
Opinion:
a)theproblemofwherethelegalliabilityfordefective
productsliesinrelationtocertification (1.7inthe
Opinion);
b)thenecessaryclarificationastohowfarmedical
devicesandappliancesareincluded(2.3inthe
Opinion);Theseimportantmattersshouldbeenshrinedinthe
Directive.
DoneatBrussels,24March1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN