WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3261/97 by Peter SKINNER to the Commission. Comparative fire statistics in the European Community
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, SKINNER
Subjects: EU statistics, accident prevention, civil defence, comparative study, fire, fire protection, public health, trauma

C 158/74

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

(98/C 158/95)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3261/97

by Peter Skinner (PSE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Comparative fire statistics in the European Community

The monitoring of deaths, injuries and property losses from fire is important in identifying best practice for the
fire fighting services. The present system of statistical compilation on a national level hinders vital transnational
cooperation. The data offered by the world statistics centre are inadequate and are regarded by the Federation of
European Union Fire Officer Association (FEU) as unreliable.

Would the Commission agree that it would be productive for the Community to compile some common, basic
information which could help identify future priorities and best practice?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(25 November 1997)

The Commission considers that it would be extremely useful for the Member States to have better information
and statistics with regard to fire effects. The Commission has no information on fire statistics offered by the
world statistics centre.

With respect to accidents involving personal injury, statistics on health and safety are included in the framework
programme  for  priority  actions  in  the  field  of  statistical  information  1993  to  1997 (1)  (Council  Decision
93/464/EEC).

The  European  home  and  leisure  accident  surveillance  system  (EHLASS)  provides  data  on  home  and  leisure
accidents in the Community, including on those accidents caused by flames. For accidents at work, including on
those accidents which cause burns, data are collected at Community level through the European statistics on
accidents  at  work  (ESAW)  project.  Future  improvements  to  ESAW  may  enable  it  to  identify  the  accident
mechanism (whether or not it was caused by a fire).

Accidents and injuries are also included in the non-exhaustive list of areas given in Annex 2 of the Parliament
and  Council  Decision  1400/97/EC  of  30  June  1997  adopting  a  programme  of  Community  action  on  health
monitoring (2). In addition, injury prevention is an area on which the Commission has adopted a communication
and a proposal for a programme of Community action (from 1999 to 2003) (3).

In addition, the whole range of questions related to fires are included in the Community action programme in the
field of civil protection currently under discussion in the Council (4).

The Commission is ready to support initiatives which would lead to an improvement in the related basic and
common  information  at  Community  level,  provided  that  adequate  resources  and  means  are  available  in  the
context of the relevant Community action programmes.

(1)  OJ L 219, 28.8.1993.
(2)  OJ L 193, 22.7.1997.
(3)  COM(97) 178 final.
(4)  COM(96) 219.

(98/C 158/96)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3266/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Estevan Bolea (PPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Management of hazardous waste

According to EU figures, 30 million tonnes (1992 figure) of hazardous waste are produced every year, of which
16.5 million tonnes a year (55%) are properly processed. Out of the latter amount, 7.5 million tonnes a year are
incinerated.

How many tonnes of hazardous waste are burned at European cement works? Could the Commission give a
breakdown by Member State?