WRITTEN QUESTION E-0470/03

by Dorette Corbey (PSE)and Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 February 2003)

Subject: Legionnaires' disease

Is the Commission aware that the risk of legionella infection is greatest in the spring and autumn. Recently there have been further deaths from legionnaires' disease. In its answer to written question E-3875/00(1), the Commission proposed a two-pronged approach to combating legionnaires' disease, based on prevention and information. The EWGLI website referred to by the Commission gives details of the number of reported cases of legionella infection. These are broken down by country for 1999, but not for 2000 and 2001.

1. What preventive measures has the Commission since taken to prevent legionnaires' disease? How is the Commission implementing the EWGLI guidelines in practice? How has the Commission promoted research into a standard method of restricting biological growth in industrial wet air conditioning systems?

2. What will be the role of the planned European Centre for Disease Control?

3. Can the Commission provide information on the number of outbreaks by Member State and the number of victims?

4. Does the Commission think that sufficient publicity has been given to the list of hotels in which legionella infection has been found. Does the Commission consider that this list of hotels is comprehensive enough?

5. How does the Commission intend to improve the information given to the public, and tourists in particular?

(1) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001, p. 219.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(25 March 2003)

1. The Commission refers the Honourable Members to its reply to written question E-3197/02 by Mrs Oomen Ruijten(1). The Commission is of the opinion that application by Member States surveillance authorities of the guidelines agreed by EWGLI will improve the consistency of approach in the control and prevention of legionnaires' disease between European countries. These guidelines will be published in an appropriate form later in 2003.

The current Directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption(2) does not cover the issue of Legionella; but in the frame of the revision process of this Directive, the Commission intends to initiate a discussion with Member States on the relevance of including, in the future, this parameter in the Directive.

With regard to research, the Commission recently promoted research through the financing of a project on the design and operation of hot water systems and application for on site electrochemically generated chlorine dioxide for control of Legionella.

2. The Commission would expect that any Centre that might be created would have responsibilities in organising surveillance, early warning and rapid response.

3. The requested information is available. The Commission is pleased to send direct to the Honourable Members and to the Secretariat of the Parliament, a summary for the years 2001 and 2002. Additional information can be abstracted from the public EWGLI web site(3).

4. and 5. The Commission requires that Ewglinet systematically informs the national authorities whose responsibility it is to take action. Following a strict procedure Ewglinet also posts names of hotels on the web that is open to the general public, including tour operators. If other Community actions were necessary this would be included in the framework of the Community Network on communicable diseases.

(1) OJ C 137 E, 12.6.2003, p. 171.

(2) Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption OJ L 330, 5.12.1998.

(3) http://www.ewgli.org/.