WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2256/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Dangerous preparations
Date: 1997-07-02
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: approximation of laws, classification, consumer information, dangerous substance, labelling, packaging, public health, workplace

C 76/84

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11. 3. 98

In April 1997, the Commission addressed Recommendation 97/344/EC (5) to the Member States which identifies
best practice in the field of improving and simplifying the business environment for newly created enterprises
and  sets  out  measures  relating  to  the  start-up  phase  involving  national  authorities.  In  particular  the
Recommendation focuses on the need to reduce administrative burdens imposed on business start-ups, and to
make public administrations more business friendly. This includes establishing a single contact point for the
registration  of  new  enterprises,  using  single  registration  forms,  and  adopting  single  business  identification
numbers. The Recommendation also deals with the stimulation of businesses in their first years of development
by  suggesting  the  need  to  improve  administrative  procedures  in  respect  of  tax,  social  security  and  statistical
collection.

Most recently, the Amsterdam European Council confirmed strong commitment towards the simplification of
legislative and administrative regulations to both improve the quality of Community legislation, and reduce the
administrative burden on European business, particularly SMEs. The Commission was invited to set up a task
force for this purpose and is currently considering how it can positively respond to the Council’s invitation. The
idea of a task force would fit in very well and help focus the work that is already being undertaken within the
Commission on improving the business environment, especially for SMEs and the craft sector.

(1)  CSE(95) 2087.
(2)  COM(96) 98 final.
(3)  OJ L 6, 10.1.1997.
(4)  COM(96) 329 final.
(5)  Commission  Recommendation  on  improving  and  simplifying  the  business  environment  for  business  start-ups  of  22.4.1997  ›

OJ L 145, 5.6.1997.

(98/C 76/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2256/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(2 July 1997)

Subject: Dangerous preparations

The  Commission  has  submitted  a  proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  directive  concerning  the
approximation  of  the  laws,  regulations  and  administrative  provisions  of  the  Member  States  relating  to  the
classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations (COM(96) 347 final › 96/0200 COD) (1).

Provision is made for a safety data sheet to be provided in the case of substances for which there are exposure
limits at the work place. In cases where a substance poses health hazards (Article 16(2), first indent), will the
Commission provide for the introduction of simplified data sheets bearing only those details truly necessary for
users or consumers?

(1)  OJ C 283, 26.9.1996, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 1997)

The  proposal  of  the  Commission  for  a  Parliament  and  Council  directive  on  classification,  packaging  and
labelling of dangerous preparations requires safety data sheets to be completed in two different cases:

› 

› 

for preparations classified as dangerous and to be provided on the first delivery

for  preparations  not  classified  as  dangerous  to  be  provided  on  request  and  in  cases  where  specified
concentrations of substances are dangerous to health or where Community exposure limits at the work place
are exceeded.

In its first reading of the above mentioned proposal the Parliament discussed two amendments on simplified
safety data sheets for preparations not classified as dangerous. At the plenary session on 25-26 June 1997 these
amendments were rejected by the Parliament. As a consequence the Commission’s original proposal for Article
16 remains as such without any modification or reference to simplified safety data sheets.