WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2760/97 by Gerhard SCHMID to the Commission. Directive 89/686/EEC * my question of 15 May 1996
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, SCHMID
Subjects: Bavaria, European Commission, European standard, application of EU law, approximation of laws, fire protection, national implementing measure, paramilitary force, protective equipment

16. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 117/61

(98/C 117/75)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2760/97

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Directive 89/686/EEC • my question of 15 May 1996

In its answer to my question E-1173/96 of 15 May 1996 (1) the Commission says that fire brigades are not (cid:145)forces
used in the maintenance of law and order’ within the meaning of the above directive. A forthcoming meeting of
the Working Party would accordingly be discussing how to assess the fact that Bavaria does classify professional
fire services as such forces and is therefore endeavouring to exclude them from the directive.

Has the Commission now raised this matter in the Working Party or some other forum? If so, with what result?
If not, why not?

(1)  OJ C 345, 15.11.1996, p. 36.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 1997)

At its meeting on 24 February 1997, the Working Party concerned did indeed discuss the question of whether fire
brigades may be considered as forces used in the maintenance of law and order within the meaning of Directive
89/686/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to personal protective equipment
(PPE) (1).

The experts from the Member States took the view, as expressed in the answer given to the Honourable Member’s
written question E-1173/96 (2), that fire brigades cannot be considered as (cid:145)armed forces(cid:146) or (cid:145)forces used in the
maintenance of law and order(cid:146) and that, consequently, the equipment covered by Directive 89/686/EEC and used
by fire fighters is not excluded by the Directive.

The Commission will therefore take all necessary steps to ensure that the Member States apply the Community
law in a uniform manner.

The  Commission  wishes  to  remind  the  Honourable  Member  that  Directive  89/686/EEC  provides  for  the  free
movement  of  the  products  it  covers  and  is  not  concerned  with  the  use  made  of  products  already  in  service.
The various fire brigades may therefore continue indefinitely using the equipment they have and to which they
are accustomed.

(1)  Council Directive 89/686/EEC of 21 December 1989 (OJ L 399, 30.12.1989), as amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993
(OJ L 220, 30.8.1993), Council Directive 93/95/EEC of 29 October 1993 (OJ L 276, 9.11.1993) and Council and European Parliament
Directive 96/58/EC of 3 September 1996 (OJ L 236, 18.9.1996).

(2)  OJ C 345, 15.11.1996.

(98/C 117/76)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2767/97

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Protection of consumers from genetically manipulated products

Given the discoveries made in recent years as a result of scientific research in the field of genetic engineering and
future prospects in this area and in view of the fact that genetic engineering is to a large extent already part of our
everyday life, although no reliable methods have yet been developed to assess scientifically the medium and
long-term impact of the irreversible release into the atmosphere of genetically manipulated organisms, can the
Commission provide the following information:

1.  Has a more comprehensive assessment and evaluation been made of the social, economic, ecological, public,

health, ethical and legal aspects of new developments in the field of genetic engineering?