WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1555/97 by Herbert BÖSCH to the Commission. Respect for fundamental workers' and trade union rights in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe
Date: 1997-05-06
Institutions: BOESCH, European Parliament
Subjects: Central and Eastern Europe, EBRD, EU programme, European undertaking, award of contract, competence of the Member States, labour law, recruitment, trade union freedom, trade union rights

10. 2. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 45/51

(98/C 45/61)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1555/97

by Herbert Bo¤sch (PSE) to the Commission

(6 May 1997)

Subject: Respect for fundamental workers(cid:146) and trade union rights in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe

We have received information that various companies in Central and Eastern European countries (particularly
those of Western origin) insist, when recruiting new staff, that they do not belong to trade unions.

This violates fundamental human rights and cannot be tolerated by the authorities in States which wish to join the
European Union in the near future.

It would be even more devastating if it turned out that such firms received either orders paid for by resources
from the PHARE or the JOPP programmes, or subsidized credit from the EBRD, and hence money from pockets
of European workers.

Is  the  Commission  aware  of  any  cases  in  countries  associated  with  the  European  Union  in  which

1.
non-membership of a trade union has been a condition of recruitment?

2.

Has it discussed such matters with Central European governments?

3.
Has  the  Commission  ensured  in  the  past  that  companies  which  violate  the  human  right  of  freedom  of
association have not benefited from orders under the PHARE or JOPP programmes and have not received any
EBRD subsidies?

If not, does it intend finally to take the appropriate preventive measures (possibly in the context of the new

4.
PHARE regulation) in the interests of European workers?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 1997)

The Commission is not aware of cases in associated countries where non-membership of a union was a condition
of recruitment.

Consequently the subject has not been taken up with Central and Eastern European countries.

There is no specific clause on compliance with trade-union law in agreements with European businesses under
the PHARE programme or for financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The  provision  of  information  to  workers  and  their  consultation  are  among  the  subjects  covered  by  the
cooperation procedure with qualified-majority voting, but trade-union law is under the jurisdiction of each of the
Member States which › with the exception so far of the United Kingdom › have acceded to the Community
Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers adopted in 1989.

(98/C 45/62)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1558/97

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 May 1997)

Subject: Dumping of waste in the River Axios

Allegations  have  been  made  by  Greepeace,  many  environmental  organizations  and  local  bodies  that  the
Chemical Industries of Northern Greece (SICGN) have, since 1995, been systematically dumping phosphogyp-
sum  over  an  area  of  200  hectares  along  the  former  bed  of  the  River  Axios  in  the  Commune  of  Eastern
Thessaloniki, which has adversely affected the Axios wetlands, protected under the Ramsar Convention. Over
the  last  few  weeks  the  dumping  of  this  substance  has  been  observed  even  within  the  protected  area.  Studies
carried out by the Aristotles University of Thessaloniki show that levels of cadmium are between five and ten
times, and levels of arsenic 1000 times, higher than those reported by the industry.