WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3552/98 by Katerina DASKALAKI Child labour in subsidiaries of European companies in Turkey
Date: 1998-12-01
Institutions: DASKALAKI, European Parliament
Subjects: European undertaking, Türkiye, branch, child labour, labour law, mining operation, multinational enterprise, working conditions

11.10.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 289/59

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(11 January 1999)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the data for the years in question have not

1.
yet been published by Eurostat.

As regards the data relating to coal mines, the methodology employed by ESAW (European Statistics on
Accidents at Work) does not for the moment consider the extractive industries to be one of the branches
considered. Nevertheless, under the powers invested in the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and
Other Extractive Industries (SHCMOEI), work has begun on harmonising statistics in this domain.

2.
The Commission can only deplore an increase in the number of industrial accidents in Spain as indicated
by the Honourable Member. However, the responsibility for analysing this situation and for drawing the
necessary conclusions lies with the national authorities, notably those reponsible for implementing the
national legislation transposing the relevant Community directives.

For its part, the Commission ensures that the Member States transpose the Community directives into their
national legislation, and it institutes infringement procedures against any Member States which fail to do so. At
present, Spain has transposed all of the ‘safety and health’ directives.

Under the powers invested in SHCMOEI, the Spanish authorities perform detailed follow-ups of fatal

3.
accidents and the more serious accidents, through the establishment of specific reports.

The analysis of these reports by SHCMOEI may lead to the issuing of recommendations to Member States with
a view to improving safety conditions in the extractive industries and avoiding any repetition of such
accidents.

(1999/C 289/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3552/98

by Katerina Daskalaki (UPE) to the Council

(1 December 1998)

Subject: Child labour in subsidiaries of European companies in Turkey

Information has recently come to light about the appalling exploitation of children working in Turkish
factories belonging to subsidiary companies of large Western (mainly European) multinationals. An Italian
newspaper and magazine reported on specific cases of children working extremely long hours in factories in
which Community companies have an interest.

Is the Council aware of this situation and does it intend to take any action given that child labour and the
exploitation of minors is strictly prohibited in the European Union and that Parliament has adopted numerous
resolutions on this issue?

Reply

(29 March 1999)

The existing agreements governing relations between the European Community and Turkey 8 namely, the
Ankara Agreement of 1963, the Additional Protocols and the decisions of the Association Council 8 do not
provide for cooperation on labour conditions in Turkey.

However, the Council is currently considering the implementation of a European strategy for Turkey.
According to information supplied by the Commission, an exploratory meeting with the Turkish authorities
could be proposed in the near future in order to discuss social matters, including fundamental social rights.