AnswergivenbyMrsDiamantopoulouonbehalfoftheCommission
(21October2003)
The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that there are two regulations at
Communitylevel,Regulations(EEC)No1408/71(1)and574/72(2),whichcoordinatetheMemberStates’
variousstatutorysocialsecuritysystemsandaimtoprovidesocialprotectionforthosemovingwithintheEuropeanUnion.
Claimsforretirementpensionsmust,inprinciple,besubmittedinthestateofresidence(Articles36to38
ofRegulation(EEC)No574/72).Theinstitutionoftheplaceofresidencewillinvestigatetheclaim,unlesstheinsuredhasnotcompletedanyinsuranceperiodsinthestateofresidence,inwhichcasetheinstitutionoftheplaceofresidenceforwardstheclaimtotheinstitutionoftheMemberStatetowhoselegislationthe
claimantwaslastsubject(Article36,paragraphs1and2,ofRegulation(EEC)No574/72).Theinstitution
whichistoinvestigatethepensionclaim(referredtoastheinvestigatinginstitution)willuseformE-202toinformtherelevantinstitutionsintheotherMemberStatesconcernedoftheclaimforaretirementpension(Article41ofRegulation(EEC)No574/72).
TheCommissionhaspublishedtwoguidestoCommunityprovisionsonstatutorysocialsecurityschemes.
ThefirstexplainsEuropeancitizens’socialsecurityentitlementswhentheymovewithintheEuropean
Union.ThesecondguidegivesageneraldescriptionofthestatutorysocialsecurityschemesinallMemberStatesandinIceland,NorwayandLiechtenstein,andalsocontainstheaddressesofthesecountries’socialsecurityinstitutions.PaperversionsofthesebrochuresareavailablefromtheCommissionandelectronicversions are available on the Web (http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/soc-prot/schemes/index_en.htm).
Inaddition,on11December2002theCommissionadoptedaCommunication(
3)entitled‘Freemovement
ofworkers:achieving thefullbenefitsandpotential’,which describesinpractical termstheproblemswhich migrant workers may encounter and how the Commission addresses these problems. ThisCommunication is also available in electronic format on the Web (http://europa.eu.int/comm/employ-ment_social/news/2002/dec/com2002_694_en.html).
As the coordination system provided for in the above Regulations relates only to statutory pension
schemes,theCounciladoptedadirective(
4)on29June1998whichisintendedtosafeguardtherightsof
membersofsupplementarypensionschemeswhomovefromoneMemberStatetoanother.ThisDirectiveobliges Member States to take the necessary measures to ensure that employers, trustees or othersresponsible for the management of supplementary pension schemes provide adequate information toschememembers,whentheymovetoanotherMemberState,astotheirpensionrightsandthechoiceswhichareavailabletothemunderthescheme(Article7).TheCommissionwillsubmitareportevaluatingtheapplicationofthisDirectivetotheEuropeanParliament,theCouncilandtheEconomicandSocialCommitteein2004(Article10(3)).
(1) Regulation(EEC)No1408/71oftheCouncilof14June1971ontheapplicationofsocialsecurityschemesto
employedpersonsandtheirfamiliesmovingwithintheCommunity,OJL149,5.7.1971.
(2) Regulation(EEC)No574/72oftheCouncilof21March1972fixingtheprocedureforimplementingRegulation
(EEC)No1408/71ontheapplicationofsocialsecurityschemestoemployedpersonsandtheirfamiliesmoving
withintheCommunity,OJL74,27.3.1971.
(3) COM(2002)694final.
(4) Council Directive 98/49/EC onsafeguarding the supplementary pensionrights of employedandself-employed
personsmovingwithintheCommunity,OJL209,25.7.1998.
(2004/C58E/221) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2821/03
byGeoffreyVanOrden(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(19September2003)
Subject:Electricpoweredbicycles
DoestheCommissionhaveanyplanstoinitiateregulationsonelectricpoweredbicycles,specificallywith
regardtowhethersuchbicyclescancontinuetousetwistgripcontrolstooperatethepowerorwhethertheymustbepedalledatalltimes?6.3.2004EN C58E/205 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
AnswergivenbyMrLiikanenonbehalfoftheCommission
(21October2003)
FrameworkDirective2002/24/EC(1)laysdowntheprocedureforCommunitytype-approvaloftwoor
three-wheelmotorvehicleswhichareintendedtotravelontheroad.Exemptedfromthescopeofthisdirectivearebicycleswithpedalassistencewhichareequippedwithanauxiliaryelectricmotorhavingamaximumcontinuousratedpowerof0,25kWofwhichtheoutputisprogressivelyreducedandfinallycutoffasthebicyclereachesaspeedof25km/h,orsoonerifthecycliststopspedalling.Electricvehicleswithacontinuousratedpoweroramaximumspeedabovethoselimitsfallwithinthescopeofthedirectiveandwouldneedtofulfilltherequirementsformopedormotorbikes,dependingontheircharacteristics.
The Commissionhas for the moment no intention to modify the Framework Directive nor has any
MemberStateproposedanamendmenttothedirectiveconcerningelectricbicycles.
(1) Directive2002/24/ECoftheParliamentandoftheCouncilof18March2002relatingtothetype-approvaloftwo
orthree-wheelmotorvehiclesandrepealingCouncilDirective92/61/EEC,OJL124,9.5.2002.
(2004/C58E/222) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2837/03
byAlexandrosAlavanos(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(25September2003)
Subject:CreationofanewairlinefromOlympicAirways
The Hellenic Parliament recently adopted a law regulating the form and operation of a new airline,
OlympicAirlines,derivedfromOlympicAirways.
Article11ofthenewlawannulsthecollectivelabouragreementsandproceduresforreachingagreement
concluded with the trade unions, following their termination by the Board of Olympic Airways andOlympicAviation,whileparagraphs4and5ofArticle9ofLaw1876/1990,whichgoverntheperiodofvalidityofcollectivelabouragreements,haveceasedtoapply.
Giventhatthesedevelopmentsconstituteachangeinindustrialrelationstothedetrimentoftheworkforce
duringthetransfertothenewcompany,willtheCommissionsay:
1. whether the annulment of articles of Law 1876/1990 governing compliance with collective
agreements andprocedures forreaching agreement (anarticle ofthenew law)isconsistentwithArticles3and4ofDirective98/50/EC(
1)relatingtothesafeguardingofemployees’rightsintheevent
oftransfersofundertakings,and
2. whether,intheeventofnon-compliancewiththearticlesofDirective98/50/EC,theCommissionwill
intervene,andinwhatmanner,tosafeguardtherightsoftheworkerswhoarebeingtransferredtothenewcompanyandtherightsofthoseremainingwiththeoldcompany?
(1) OJL201,17.7.1998,p.88.
AnswergivenbyMrsDiamantopoulouonbehalfoftheCommission
(23October2003)
TheCommissionhasaskedtheMemberStateconcernedforinformationregardingthefactsraisedtoby
theHonourableMember.Itwillinformhimofitsfindings.C58E/206 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion