also be made in this context to Council Directive 91/383/EEC of 25June 1991 supplementing the
measurestoencourageimprovementsinthesafetyandhealthatworkofworkerswithafixeddurationemploymentrelationship oratemporaryemploymentrelationship(
2),which aimstoensure thatsuch
workers benefit from the same degree of health and safety protection at work as those of the userundertakingand/orestablishment.
These directives have to be transposed into the national legislation of the Member States, and the
individual countries are responsibleforensuring adequate monitoringandsupervision ofthe nationalprovisionstransposingthem(cf.Article4ofDirective89/391/EEC).
ItisthereforetheresponsibilityoftheSpanishauthoritiesinchargeofsupervisingthenationalprovisions
transposing the Community health and safety directives to see that they are effectively and correctlyapplied.
Cuttingdownthenumberofoccupationalaccidentsingeneral,andthoseoccurringinthecircumstances
referredtobytheHonourableMember,inwhichseveralcompaniesandsubcontractorsarepresentonthesamepremises,inparticular,isoneoftheobjectivesoftheCommunityhealthandsafetystrategy2002-2006,tobepursuedjointlybyallpartiesconcerned.
Tothisend,theCouncilResolutionof3June2002onanewCommunitystrategyonhealthandsafetyat
work 2002-2006(
3) calls on the Member States to develop and implement coordinated, coherent
preventionpolicies,gearedtonationalconditions,withmeasurabletargetsforreducingaccidentsatworkandoccupationalillnesses,especiallyinthosesectorsofactivityinwhichratesareaboveaverage.
Finally,theCommissiondrawstheHonourableMember’sattentiontoCouncilDecision2003/578/ECof
22July2003onguidelinesfortheemploymentpoliciesoftheMemberStates(
4),andinparticularto
specificguideline3whichprovides,interalia,thatMemberStatesshallimplementappropriatemeasurestopromotebetterworkingconditions,includinghealthandsafety.Amajorobjectiveofthesepolicieswillbetoreducesubstantiallytherateofoccupationalaccidentsanddiseases.
(1) OJL183,29.6.1989.
(2) OJL206,29.7.1991.
(3) OJC161,5.7.2002.
(4) OJL297,5.8.2003.
(2004/C58E/205) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2659/03
byElisabethJeggle(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(10September2003)
Subject:Regularissuingofveterinarycertificates
EveryweekafarmerinaborderareainGermanysellspigstoabutcherinAustria(distancefromthe
Germanfarm:roughly25km).Inordertodothat,thefarmerrequiresahealthcertificateissuedbythecompetentveterinaryauthoritynomorethan24hourspriortotheexportoftheanimals.Theexamination
costsroughlyEUR50peranimal.
InconnectionwiththetransportofanimalswithintheEU,isthereacheaperandlessbureaucraticexport-
authorisationprocedurethantheregularissuingofhealthcertificates,withtherelatedcoststhisgeneratesforfarmers?
AnswergivenbyMrByrneonbehalfoftheCommission
(6October2003)
WithreferencetothequestionraisedbytheHonourableMember,theCommissionwishestopointout
that the animal health conditions for intra-Community trade in live pigs are laid down in CouncilC58E/190 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Directive64/432/EECof26June1964(1)andthewelfareconditionsforanimalsduringtransportarelaid
downinCouncilDirective91/628/EECof19November1991(2).BothDirectiveshavebeenamendedby
theCouncilandtheParliamentinordertotakeintoaccounttheevolutionofthesinglemarket.
Compliance with the animal health and welfare requirements set down in these Directives must be
ascertained andcertified by anofficialveterinarian atthe place oforigin. The intendedmovementissubsequentlyrecordedinthecomputerisednetworkANIMOtoensuretraceabilityoftheanimalsandtoallowtheofficialveterinarianatdestinationtocarryoutnon-discriminatorychecks,ifconsiderednecessaryand/orrequiredbylegislation.
Initsresolutionof12December2002theParliamentemphasisedtheneedtoreinforcecontrolsonthe
movementofandtradeinliveanimalsasessentialprerequisitestopreventthetransmissionofmajorepidemicdiseases,suchasfoot-and-mouthdiseaseorclassicalswinefever,andtoguaranteecompliancewithanimalwelfarerequirementsduringtransport.
Intheaftermathofthe2001foot-and-mouthdiseasecrisis,theCommissionhasadoptedprovisionsto
reinforcethecontrolsontradeinanimalsandhassubmittedproposalstotheCounciltofurtherstrengthenthecontrolsonmovementsofanimalsintheMemberStates.Itisthereforenotforeseentoproposeanyfundamentalchangetothecurrentsystemofveterinarycertificationfortradeinliveanimals,althoughtheCommission is continuously working on improvements to take into account evolving technicaldevelopments.
(1) OJP121,29.7.1964.
(2) OJL340,11.12.1991.
(2004/C58E/206) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2668/03
byBriceHortefeux(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(10September2003)
Subject:Pricesofreimbursablemedicines
Aspresent,pricesofreimbursablemedicinesvarygreatlyfromoneMemberStatetoanother.
Giventhecurrentbudgetaryausterityandmassivesicknessinsurancedeficits,newmethodsofregulating
spendingonpharmaceuticalproductsareclearlyrequiredtoreducethegrowingimpactofthesepricedifferences.
Since health is not a communitarised policy area, total harmonisation is clearly impossible, but the
Commission could usefully launch a review of the main points at issue and thus help increase the
transparencyofthepricesituationinthedifferentMemberStates.
HastheCommissionalreadytakenanystepsinthisdirection?Ifso,whatarethey,andwhatistheplanned
timetable?
AnswergivenbyMrLiikanenonbehalfoftheCommission
(15October2003)
Thepricesandreimbursementsofmedicinesarematterswhichgenerallyremaintheresponsibilityofthe
MemberStates.However,inviewoftheconsequencesarisingfromdifferencesinthepriceschargedintheMemberStates,especiallywithregardtoaccesstomedicines,theyarematterswhichareofconcerntotheCommission.ThefactisthatdifferencesinthewayofregulatingpricesineachMemberStatecanresultinsignificantvariationsinthetimeittakesformedicinesactuallytobecomeavailabletopatients.Inaddition,theparalleltradeinmedicines,linkedtothepricedifferentialbetweenMemberStates,togetherwiththequotameasurestakenbytheindustrytocombatthisfeature,couldpossiblyinterruptsuppliesincountrieswiththelowestprices.6.3.2004EN C58E/191 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion