EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 65/271

(2004/C 65 E/285)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3172/03

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 October 2003)

Subject: Fire safety in hotels

A consumer survey from May 2002 showed that 82 % of 80 hotels inspected were unsafe in the event of a fire, due to management faults (misuse of emergency stairwells for storing maintenance equipment, fire doors, fixed, open locking of emergency exit doors) and structural faults (single unprotected escape routes, lack of fire and smoke compartments, incomplete and unclear orientation/guidance systems).

As the Commission has recognised that not all Member States have implemented the recommendation on hotel fire safety, will the Commission, based on the consumer survey's findings, now finally proceed with a directive?

Has the Commission considered whether the proposed new legislative framework for ‘safety of services’ (1) could be applicable to hotels, and would this make the recommendation on hotel fire safety superfluous?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2003)

The Commission is aware of the survey conducted in 80 hotels by consumer associations from five Member States. Although it was not based on Council Recommendation 86/666/EEC on fire safety in existing hotels (2), the Commission feels that it reinforces the analysis presented in its report on the application of Recommendation 86/666/EEC (3).

The Commission therefore intends to continue as follows, in accordance with the guidelines set out in this report:

— in the cases provided for in Recommendation 86/666/EEC, to make greater provision for alternative solutions where the technical guidelines cannot be implemented;

— to clarify issues related to the monitoring by Member States of implementation of the Recommendation;

— given the time which has passed since its adoption, to check whether the technical guidelines set out in Recommendation 86/666/EEC need to be updated and/or improved;

— to consider the advisability and potential means of identifying and disseminating best practice in fire prevention.

In line with these guidelines, the Commission does not at this stage envisage submitting a proposal for a specific directive on this subject.

The Commission also considers it to be of the utmost importance to have, as far as possible, objective and full knowledge of the situation on the ground. To this end, it intends to complete its assessment of existing regulations in this area in the Member States and to compile an inventory of hotel fires in the Community between 1986 and 2003, including an analysis of their causes and consequences. These two measures will allow a better evaluation of risks, thus creating a stronger basis and a clearer course for Community action.

With regard to the discussions under way on a Community legal framework for service safety, it would be premature to speculate on its scope in relation to hotel fire safety. However, the Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the safety of services for consumers (4) makes it clear that tourism, leisure and sports activities will be priority sectors for the Community, and hotels will be included in this.

(1) COM(2003) 313.

(2) OJ L 384, 31.12.1986.

(3) COM(2001) 348 final.

(4) COM(2003) 313 final.