WRITTEN QUESTION E-0357/00 by Elisa Damião (PSE) to the Commission. Health and safety at work.
Date: 2000-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, care of mothers and infants, occupational health

24.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 303 E/183

(2000/C 303 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0357/00

by Elisa Damiªo (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Health and safety at work

The drastic fall in the fertility rate of men and women and the problems of pregnant women (miscarriages,
premature births, transmission of diseases and increase in disorders which the scientific community
attribute to modern-day living and working conditions) are underestimated and are not included in the
statistics relating to occupational diseases. Neither are adequate preventive measures taken. This is
undermining maternity and paternity rights, with serious implications for the population balance of
European societies. Will the Commission provide all the information available on the matter at both
European and national levels?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2000)

The Commission is closely monitoring research and information on the problems which certain agents
found in workplaces can have on both female and male fertility.

As far as science is concerned, there is neither unanimity nor firm evidence of any possible global decline
in human fertility caused by exposure to agents found in the working environment.

In 1998 the Commission asked a recognised scientific institute to carry out a second specific study of
infertility and occupational factors. This study includes an analysis of the effects of the agents most
commonly encountered in the working environment on fertility and provides a very useful synopsis of the
research projects carried out in this field. A copy of the final report is being sent directly to the
Honourable Member and the Parliament Secretariat.

Furthermore, in recent years, scientific circles have devoted special attention to the possible effects on
human health (cid:129) especially the reproduction aspects (cid:129) of (cid:145)endocrine disrupters(cid:146), which are chemicals
capable of changing or disrupting the endocrine system.

In 1999 an (cid:145)Opinion on human and wildlife health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals(cid:146) was adopted
and published by the Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment. One of the
Committee(cid:146)s findings is that (cid:145)although there are associations between endocrine disrupting chemicals, so far
investigated, and human health disturbances, a causative role of
these chemicals in diseases and
abnormalities possibly related to an endocrine disturbance has not been verified(cid:146). Furthermore, the opinion
reports that (cid:145) a meta-analysis of 61 studies has reported a general decrease in sperm concentration and
semen volume from 1938 to 1990. However, several reanalyses of the same data have indicated possible
bias and confounding in the meta-analysis, and have reached different conclusions with respect to sperm
quality, depending on the methodology used(cid:146). A copy of this opinion is being sent directly to the
Honourable Member and the Parliament Secretariat.

In any event, the Commission is continuing to monitor these matters systematically with a view to
adopting any appropriate Community initiatives on the prevention of fertility problems resulting from
occupational exposure to certain agents.

(2000/C 303 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0358/00

by Elisa Damiªo (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: European standardisation of machinery and equipment

On the basis of research by the Cancer Institute, the Commission has identified a new risk related to wood
dust which causes genetic alterations and cancer. What measures has CEN-Cenelec been asked to take to
remove the health hazard caused by existing equipment and machinery?