4.11.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC287/1
II
(PreparatoryActs)
ECONOMIC ANDSOCIALCOMMITTEE
OpinionontheProposalforaCouncilDecisionapprovingcertainamendmentstothe
agreementforcooperationindealingwithpollutionoftheNorthSeabyoilandother
harmfulsubstances,assignedinBonnon13September1983
(92/C287/01)
On5May1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle130SoftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforProtectionoftheEnvironment ,PublicHealthandConsumerAffairs,which
wasresponsibleforpreparingtheCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon
2June1992.TheRapporteurwasMrGafoFernandez.
Atits298thPlenarySession(meetingof1July1992)theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedthefollowingOpinion.
1.TheCommitteeapprovesthisCommissioninitiat­
ivetobringuptodateandimprovethetechnicaland
preventiveaspectsoftheAgreementinitiallysignedin
1984.4.AlthoughthesignatoriestotheAgreement (Con­
tractingParties)arestates,theoilandmarinetransport
industriesshouldalsobeinvolvedintheimplemen­
tationoftheAgreements .TheAgreementsalreadypro­
videmechanismsforcooperationonthepreventionand
handlingofspillsofoilandotherdangeroussubstances,
andonfinancingtheseactivitiesandtheconsequent
civilliabilities.However,itisessentialthatthesesectors
bemoreintensivelyinvolved,withmoreactivitiesin
thefieldofpreventionandexchangesoftechnicalinfor­
mationanddata.2.Theeightyearswhichhaveelapsedsincetheinitial
Agreementwassigneddemonstratetheneedtocomp­
lementcorrectiveactivitieswithmeasurestoimprove
informationandpreventionsystems.Thisnewphilos­
ophyisinlinewiththeCommunity'senvironmental
objectiveslaiddowninArticle130RoftheEECTreaty.5.TheCommitteewelcomesthedefinitionofthe
ContractingParties'surveillancedutiesintheirexclus­
ivezonesofresponsibilityandtheconclusionofagree­
mentswithothercontractingpartiestotheseends.
3.TheCommitteeispleasedtoseethispreventive
philosophyextendedtoboththeobjectivesoftheAgree­
mentandpracticalaspects,suchasgreatercooperation
betweentheContractingPartiesandtheregular
exchangeoftechnicalandsurveillancedata.6.TheCommitteealsowelcomesthechangeinthe
demarcationzoneoftheSkagerrak,whichrectifiesan
errorintheinitialagreement.

NoC287/2 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 4.11.92
7.Finally,theCommitteewouldliketodraw
attentiontotheneedtoaccelerateandpromote
theimplementation oftheAgreements .Thepresentamendments,approvedinSeptember1989,willhave
takenthreeyearstoberatifiedbytheContracting
Parties.
DoneatBrussels,1July1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveontheapproximation ofthelawsofthe
MemberStatesrelatingtolifts0)
(92/C287/02)
On4March1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle100AoftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforIndustry,Commerce,CraftsandServices,whichwasresponsibleforpreparing
theCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon10June1992.TheRapporteur
wasMrPearson.
Atits298thPlenarySession(meetingof1July1992)theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedunanimouslythefollowingOpinion.
1.4.TheCommitteenotestheassuranceoftheCom­
missionthatwiththerepealofDirective84/529/EEC,
therewillbenoreductioninsafetystandards.The
CommitteehoweverthinksthataCENharmonized
standardwouldbeofadvantage;itshouldserveasa
basisandpointofreferenceformanufacturers within
theMemberStates:itwouldincludeminimumdetailed
safetyrequirementsfortheprotectionofusers.1.Introduction
1.1.TheCommitteeparticularlywelcomesthepro­
posalstoreplaceDirective84/529/EEC(2)—andas
twiceamended—asithas,since27February1976,
consistentlycalledforaDirectiveinwhichprovisionis
madefortotalharmonization .
1.2.TheCommitteefurthernoteswithsatisfaction
thatthenewDirectiveisbasedonthe'newapproach'
system,wherebytheanomaliescreatedbetweenCom­
munityandnationalrequirementswillbeeliminated :
theserequirementswillbemandatoryandnotvoluntary
ashitherto.
1.3.Asthetitleshows,thenewproposalsincludeall
typesofliftswhichareaccessibletopeople;theydo,
however,applyonlytonewliftsinstalledinpermanent
buildings.2.Generalcomments
2.1.TheCommitteewelcomestheproposedDirec­
tivewhichsetsclearimprovedstandardsfornewlifts.
2.2.TheCommitteebelievesthattheCommission
shouldreviewandupgradethesafetyrequirementsfor
existinglifts,settingacommonharmonizedstandard.
Analysisofaccidentrecordsshouldbeinvolvedinsuch
areview.í1)OJNoC62,11.3.1992,p.4.
(2)OJNoL300,19.11.1984.