WRITTEN QUESTION E-1720/99 by Gary Titley (PSE) to the Commission. Minimum standards for crash helmets for high-speed watercraft.
Date: 1999-09-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: directive (EU), leisure, safety device, safety standard, standardisation

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/13

Parliament(cid:146)s December 1998 part-session (9), H-1237/98 by Mr Schorling during question time at
Parliament(cid:146)s January 1999 part-session (10) and H-0092/99 by Mr Theonas during question time at
Parliament(cid:146)s February 1999 part-session (11).

(1) OJ L 281, 23.11.1995.
(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998.
(3) OJ C 354, 24.11.1998.
(4) OJ C 354, 24.11.1998.
(5) OJ C 402, 6.1.1998.
(6) OJ C 50, 22.2.1999.
(7) OJ C 50, 22.2.1999.
(8) OJ C 50, 22.2.1999.
(9) Debates of the European Parliament (December 1998).
(10) Debates of the European Parliament (January 1999).
(11) Debates of the European Parliament (February 1999).

(2000/C 225 E/015)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1720/99

by Gary Titley (PSE) to the Commission

(29 September 1999)

Subject: Minimum standards for crash helmets for high-speed watercraft

In recent months, the British media has reported a number of accidents involving high speed watercraft,
especially jet skis. In some cases, the injuries sustained may have been less severe had the occupant or
occupants been wearing suitable crash helmets.

Accidents involving high-speed watercraft can exert entirely different stresses on the head and neck than
those involving other slower craft. Crash helmets designed for canoes and white-water sports are therefore
not only unsuitable but possibly dangerous.

No British standards nor, as far as I am aware, international standards yet exist for crash helmets for high
speed watercraft.

Will the Commission therefore investigate the feasibility of setting such standards at EU level to help
prevent such unnecessary injury recurring?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(11 November 1999)

Helmets intended for use in high-speed watercraft are covered by the (cid:145)new approach(cid:146) directive on personal
protective equipment (PPE), Council Directive 89/686/EEC of 21 December 1989 on the approximation of
the laws of the Member States relating to personal protective equipment (1).
(cid:145)New approach(cid:146) principles
require a correct application of the essential health and safety requirements applicable to a product but
give the manufacturer a choice of either directly meeting the essential health and safety requirements or
relevant harmonised standards.

The essential health and safety requirements are set out in Annex II, which clearly states at its point 1 that
(cid:145)PPE must provide adequate protection against all risks encountered(cid:146). Furthermore, PPE must be so designed
and manufactured that in the foreseeable conditions of use for which it is intended the user can perform
the risk-related activity normally whilst enjoying protection at the highest possible level. Manufacturers
must provide the users with all relevant information on use and maintenance.

Compliance with the PPE Directive(cid:146)s relevant health and safety requirements is provided through
conformity assessment procedures which have been set at a level proportionate to the potential risks
against which protection is provided. For the helmets in question, a manufacturer is under a legal
obligation to obtain a Community-type certification from a notified body designated by a Member State.
The notified body checks the conformity of the type with the essential health and safety requirements

C 225 E/14

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

using its technical expertise and applying available standards or, where these are not available, parts of
standards, technical documentation and specifications. The notion of (cid:145)state of the art(cid:146) also plays a crucial
role.

European standardisation bodies draft harmonised standards on the basis of mandates from the Com-
mission. Their current workload over-stretches the available technical resources. The total cost of an
average standard can be valued at € 100 000. This amount can rise to € 200 000 or more in cases where
documentation is scarce and research is needed.

Finally, market surveillance seeks to ensure control of compliance with the existing rules. There is a legal
requirement for Member States to ensure that appropriate and proportionate market surveillance is in
place so that only compliant products are placed on the market.

It is therefore clear that the question of standardisation does not preclude the obligations existing under
the PPE Directive that helmets worn according to their intended use must protect the wearer from
potential hazards. If the Honourable Member is aware that helmets are being manufactured and sold which
do not comply with the requirements of the PPE Directive the Commission would be pleased to pass this
information to the enforcement authorities of the United Kingdom.

(1) OJ L 399, 30.12.1989.

(2000/C 225 E/016)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1725/99

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 September 1999)

Subject: Implementing the nitrate directive

In its answer to my Question P-3176/98 (1) on measuring the nitrate content of surface and ground
1.
water in the European Union, the Commission said that it would shortly be putting forward some practical
proposals for this purpose. Can it say to what extent the proposals have taken shape?

Can the Commission say how far it is possible using these methods to establish whether the nitrate

2.
content of ground and surface water is caused by agriculture or industrial activities?

Can the Commission say whether the measurement methods take account of seasonal and climatic

3.
variations?

Can the Commission take the necessary steps to ensure that manure, and particularly dried manure

4.
(from poultry), is more freely marketable in the EU?

(1) OJ C 289, 11.10.1999, p. 25.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(27 October 1999)

Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution
caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (1) leaves the choice to Member States for precise sampling of
their surface and ground water, only requiring that they must be representative of the quality of all
national waters and indicating minimum frequencies. The Commission has however developed guidelines,
the draft of which will be sent to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat, in order to help
harmonise the monitoring of waters, reporting on the evolution of their quality and on assessment of
action programmes in vulnerable zones. The draft guidelines have been presented to Member States and
will be examined at the next (cid:145)Nitrates Committee(cid:146) of 26 October 1999, before the year 2000 reporting
exercise (end of 1st Action Programmes). Pages 4 to 6 and 13 to 14 of the monitoring guidelines give
indications on surface and ground waters sampling.