WRITTEN QUESTION E-2725/99

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Accident rate in the fishing industry

The accident rate in the European Union's fishing sector has reached an alarming level. Fatal accidents occur as a result of the particular conditions in which fishermen work.

Is the Commission in possession of country-specific figures on work-related accidents in the fishing sector over recent years? Can it provide figures on the death rate in the sector? Can the Commission provide a breakdown of the numbers of deaths caused by shipwreck and the numbers owing to other causes, such as accidents on board?

What measures is the Commission taking or does it intend to take to reduce the number of accidents?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2000)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's concern with regard to the situation in the fisheries sector, which is to be regarded as a high-risk branch of economic activity.

On the basis of Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work(1), and of the Council Resolution of 21 December 1987(2), the Commission has since 1990 had in place a project to harmonise statistics on accidents at work in the Community as a whole. This project is called ESAW (European Statistics on Accidents at Work). The Council recognised the importance of this project in the resolution of 27 March 1995(3). The first set of results from this project refer to accidents at work in 1993 and the latest figures available are for 1996.

Despite the efforts that it has made, the Commission still does not, however, have reliable and complete information on accidents in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, as only some of the Member States provided the necessary data.

However, estimates based on only five Member States reveal that the incidence of accidents in this industry, both accidents resulting in absence of more than three days and fatal accidents, is well above the average for all the other sectors of economic activity. On the basis of the partial data available to the Commission, the trend during the period 1994-1996 in the fisheries sector was negative (+ 2,1 % for accidents resulting in absence of morte than three days and + 1,0 % for fatal accidents).

With regard to the causes of fatal accidents through drowning etc., the Commission does not have the information requested by the Honourable Member. These data will be available from the year 2001, when phase III of the ESAW project specifically relating to the causes and circumstances of accidents will be running.

In conclusion, the Commission would like to point out to the Honourable Member that two directives regarding the health and safety protection of workers and the reduction of accidents at work in the fisheries sector have been adopted by the Council. They are Council Directive 92/29/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels(4), and Council Directive 93/103/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels(5).

It is the responsibility of the Member States to monitor the application of the national legislation transposing these Directives, thus ensuring that the prevention policy prescribed therein contributes effectively to reducing the incidence of accidents and occupational diseases in the fisheries' sector.

(1) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.

(2) OJ C 28, 3.2.1988.

(3) OJ C 168, 4.7.1995.

(4) OJ L 113, 30.4.1992.

(5) OJ L 307, 13.12.1993.