WRITTEN QUESTION P-0854/98

by Lyndon Harrison (PSE) to the Commission

(11 March 1998)

Subject: Responsibility for fire

The responsibility for fire falls across many directorates-general of the European Commission. In what way does the Commission ensure that these matters are dealt with in a coherent and focused manner?

Supplementary answer

given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Fire prevention falls primarily within the competence of Member States. However, fire prevention and mitigation constitute a horizontal concern which is taken into account, wherever possible, in the different Community policies and measures in order to complement and assist the efforts undertaken at the level of Member States.

Some Community policies and measures allow specific targeting of fire prevention, for example through R& D activities, civil protection measures and certain activities related to data collection and dissemination. In general, however, fire hazards are addressed together with other hazards of relevance for the regulation of particular sectors, activities or groups of products.

An underlying condition for coherence in fire prevention is the availability of relevant information concerning fire hazards and instruments for risk management. The Community undertakes its own activities in this area (some examples are given below), technical standards are elaborated by CEN/CENELEC and, in some cases, Community measures can draw upon harmonised standards agreed through European or wider international co-operation.

Within the Commission, extensive inter-service and political co-ordination mechanisms operate to ensure coherence of policy and integration of general issues such as fire prevention. Moreover, in many areas, expert committees exist to advise the Commission and committees consisting of representatives of the Member States assist the Commission in executing its powers and in up-dating existing legislation to technological progress.

Fire prevention and mitigation in the household sector is, in respect of the subsidiarity principle, the responsibility of Member States. Community measures against individual household fires therefore mainly take the form of information collection and dissemination (e.g. the European surveillance system for household and leisure accidents, EHLASS), sharing of best practices and measures to regulate safety requirements and information on construction materials as well as other goods such as electrical appliances, and dangerous substances. In particular, Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction materials(1) lays down, as one of six essential requirements, safety in case of fire. In the context of implementation of this Directive, the Commission is currently working on a harmonised classification of construction materials with regard to their reaction and resistance to fire and the related testing methods for verification of such characteristics.

Fire hazards in hotels were addressed by Council Recommendation 86/666 of 22 December 1996(2). Following a resolution of Parliament of 1994, the Commission commissioned an independent study of the state of implementation in the Member States. The final report, which has recently been forwarded to Parliament, shows that the recommendations have been extensively implemented in national legislation, although for existing hotels about half of the Member States enforce the measures only in cases of reconstruction, modification and extension.

General fire hazards on a larger scale are addressed through the civil protection efforts. On 19 December 1997, the Council adopted a Decision instituting a Community action programme in favour of civil protection(3). Fire prevention and mitigation will constitute one of the core themes in the implementation of this action programme. The action programme will also offer a platform for exchange of information and co-ordination between the Member States. For further details, the Honourable Member is referred to the Commission's replies to written questions No 3261/97 by Mr. Skinner(4) and No 628/98 by Mr. Cabrol(5).

Transport presents particular risks, including fire. Community measures to harmonise safety levels cover both regulation concerning safety on passenger ships, aircraft and technical requirements concerning private and commercial vehicles.

Fire prevention in the productive sphere is ensured from both the perspective of protection of workers in the work place and from the perspective of safety of fixed installations and of particularly risky activities or substances. Examples include Council Directive 82/501/EEC of 24 June 1982 on the major-accident hazards of certain industrial activities(6) (the Seveso Directive) and provisions concerning pressure equipment. The transport of dangerous goods has been regulated for both road, rail and inland waterways on the basis of rules and standards elaborated in a wider international co-operation.

Concerning forest fires, Member State measures to protect forests (essentially prevention and surveillance measures), including measures aimed at prevention of forest fires, can be co-financed by the Community in the context of regional development measures and as specific actions. Evaluation of such measures, including possibilities for improved protection and information exchange, takes place in the standing committee on forests, on the basis of the Community information system on forest fires and in close collaboration with the Commission.

Horizontal support for specific fire prevention and mitigation measures, whether at the Community level or by Member States, local authorities and industry, is offered by the Community's research and technological development activities. These provide a framework for research and dissemination of results concerning new insights and technological advances of relevance to fire prevention and mitigation. The Commission's proposal for the 5th framework programme, in particular the specific programme "Preserving the ecosystem" will continue to offer possibilities for support to relevant research. Moreover, sustained and targeted activities of relevance are undertaken by the Joint research centre, including the development of methodology for risk assessment and risk management, civil protection, chemical plant safety, transport safety and monitoring of natural hazards (including forest fires).

(1) OJ L 40, 11.2.1989.

(2) OJ L 384, 31.12.1986.

(3) OJ L 8, 14.1.1998.

(4) OJ C 158, 25.5.1998.

(5) OJ C 323, 21.10.1998, p. 57.

(6) OJ L 230, 5.8.1982.