WRITTEN QUESTION P-2368/99 by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission. Legionella bacterium.
Date: 1999-12-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, European social policy, Netherlands, cross-border cooperation, disease prevention, epidemic, exchange of information, infectious disease, trade event, water analysis

C 203 E/168

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2000

1.

2.

Has the Austrian government notified the Commission of this study?

If so, when was the Commission informed and to what extent?

If not, what does the Commission(cid:146)s intend to do about

3.
forthcoming accession negotiations with Slovakia?

this state of affairs,

in view of

the

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 1999)

The Austrian Government has recently transmitted a copy of the study to the Commission.

A first analysis does not support the view that the Commission has been misinformed by the Slovak
authorities. It is particularly known to the Commission that the reconstruction programme at Bohunice V1
will only be completed in 2000.

The Commission will further examine the study and will thoroughly discuss any previously unavailable
information with the appropriate Slovak authorities.

Prior and during the accession negotiations, the Commission will continue to closely follow the develop-
ments regarding nuclear safety in the Slovak Republic, in particular the fulfilment of the commitment for
the early closure of Bohunice V1 in 2006/2008.

(2000/C 203 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2368/99

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Legionella bacterium

1.
Is the Commission aware of the renewed outbreaks of pneumonia and Pontiac fever caused by the
legionella bacterium, better known as legionnaire(cid:146)s disease (for example during the West Friesland Flora
event in Bovenkarspel
in late February and at a trade fair in Kapellen, Belgium, from 29 October to
7 November)?

2.
Does the Commission have any information to suggest that these outbreaks could have been
prevented, or at least significantly reduced, if there had been obligatory inspections of the water at places
which may be related to the outbreak, for example whirlpools, air-conditioning and hot water systems?

Does the Commission think that such inspections should be made compulsory for trade fairs and

3.
similar events involving large numbers of people?

Does the Commission intend to initiate cross-border cooperation in the field of

4.
exchange in respect of legionnaire(cid:146)s disease and any similar bacterial diseases?

information

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 1999)

1.
The Commission was made aware of the recent outbreaks of legionnaires(cid:146) disease in the Netherlands
and in Belgium by the Member States(cid:146) authorities through the early warning and response system set up
under Parliament and Council Decision No 2119/98/EC of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for
the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community (1).

2.
Prevention measures necessary to minimise risks need to extend beyond the inspection of the water
which usually, for practical reasons, cannot be performed often enough to be an efficient preventive tool

18.7.2000

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 203 E/169

by itself. Thus, the prevention of outbreaks of the kind reported, should be based on a number of measures
attempting to minimise the various risk factors involved (e.g. inappropriate water quality, closed water
systems, water temperatures, insufficient decontamination systems).

These two recent outbreaks have highlighted a new area of risk for acquiring legionnaires(cid:146) disease,
3.
namely national and international
trade fairs where the public is exposed to whirlpools and other
equipment from which legionella could be spread. The Commission is therefore, together with technical
experts in Member States, assessing the need for Community health and safety rules or guidelines for the
control of legionnaires(cid:146) disease to protect the public in these kind of premises. It is too early to say
whether the conclusion of the assessment will point to inspection of water or focus entirely on other more
efficient control measures.

4.
Transnational co-operation in the field of legionella infections is already well developed. The specific
network dealing with legionnaires(cid:146) disease (European working group for legionella infections (EWGLI)) in
fact predates Decision 2119/98/EC and the Commission has supported its activities since 1986. This
surveillance scheme presently involves 31 participating countries and the scheme aims to collect informa-
tion on cases of legionnaires(cid:146) disease occurring in travellers so that sites associated with more than one
case can be detected and the authorities in the relevant country informed. Recently the reporting of non-
travel associated clusters of cases was included in this scheme mainly as a response to the outbreak in the
Netherlands earlier this year. All cases reported to EWGLI are reported back to the country of infection
and all other collaborators. These procedures have led to the rapid identification of outbreaks, and early
intervention of control and prevention measures and this system is now included as a disease specific
network in the Community network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable
diseases.

(1) OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.

(2000/C 203 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2369/99

by Lu(cid:237)s Queir(cid:243) (UEN) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Support for the reconstruction of East Timor

It has been announced that the Joint Assessment Mission led by the World Bank has already completed its
job of assessing the short-term needs (for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002) for the reconstruction of East
Timor.

The Commission has initially estimated the cost of the relevant reconstruction work at approximately
US $ 200 million.

the EU definitely intends to offer effective assistance and support

In view of the fact that both the Commission and the High Representative for the CFSP have stated on
several occasions that
for the
reconstruction work in East Timor and Parliament promised appropriate financial support when it debated
and adopted the 2000 budget at first reading, can the Commission say how it intends to coordinate with
the World Bank and the UNTAET the measures for the support and reconstruction of East Timor and, in
particular, what position it will adopt at the conference of donors to be held in Tokyo on 17 December
next?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 1999)

As regards the Commission(cid:146)s position on support for the reconstruction of East Timor, the Honourable
Member should be aware that the Community provided immediate humanitarian assistance for the return
of refugees and food aid to East Timor.