WRITTEN QUESTION E-0625/00 by Alejandro Cercas (PSE) to the Commission. Accidents at the workplace in Spain.
Date: 2000-03-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, Spain, national statistics, occupational accident

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/15

The involvement of other Member States in these incidents has been examined. Member States of
departure have responsibility to ensure that route plans are only endorsed if they comply with the journey
times in the Directive and that the transporter returns these for checking after completion of the journey.
The active involvement of both the Member State of departure and the Member State of destination is also
necessary to ensure that all the requirements are met, in particular that vehicles for such journeys are of an
acceptable standard. Authorisation of the transporter in this case was the responsibility of Greece.

If improvements are absent, the Commission will in due course take a decision as to whether to open
infringement proceedings under Article 226 (ex-Article 169) of the EC Treaty in respect of Italy(cid:146)s failure to
adequately enforce the rules of the animal transport directives.

(2001/C 53 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0625/00

by Alejandro Cercas (PSE) to the Commission

(3 March 2000)

Subject: Accidents at the workplace in Spain

Will the Commission provide information on the data it possesses with regard to accidents at the
workplace in Spain, the trends therein in recent years, and the initiatives it intends to take in order to
remedy this unacceptable state of affairs, which affects millions of workers?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(17 April 2000)

The Commission has at its disposal information on workplace accident rates in Spain which the Spanish
authorities provide under voluntary agreements entered into since 1992 under the ESAW harmonised
statistics project (European Statistics on Accidents at Work) relating to fatal accidents and accidents
resulting in more than three days absence from work. This project makes it possible to monitor trends in
workplace accident rates in Europe since 1994 (after an initial year of pilot data in 1993).

In view of the time needed to prepare harmonised data, the most recent information available to the
Commission is for 1996. This information is available in the (cid:145)Health and safety at work(cid:146) domain recently
opened on the (cid:145)New Cronos(cid:146) page of the Eurostat website, and in the Eurostat publication (cid:145)Statistics in
focus (cid:129) Accidents at work in the European Union in 1996(cid:146), which will appear within the next few weeks.
A copy of this publication will be sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament
Secretariat.

Between 1994 and 1996 workplace accident rates (number of workplace accidents per 100 000 persons in
employment) evolved as follows (1).

Workplace accidents resulting in more than three days absence from work:

(cid:129) Community as a whole: fall from 4 539 (per 100 00) to 4 229, i.e. -6,8 %.

(cid:129) Spain: increase from 6 166 to 6 736, i.e. +9,2 %.

Fatal workplace accidents:

(cid:129) Community as a whole: fall from 6,1 (per 100 000) to 5,3, i.e. -13,1 %.

(cid:129) Spain: fall from 7,0 to 5,9, i.e. -15,7 %.

Figures for Spain relating to the years after 1996, produced by the non-harmonised national methodology,
are available from the Spanish authorities.

C 53 E/16

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

The Commission has always taken initiatives to promote safety and health protection for workers at work,
and over 20 (cid:145)health and safety(cid:146) directives have been adopted by the Council on the basis of proposals from
the Commission. These directives have to be transposed by the Member States, which are responsible for
ensuring appropriate monitoring and enforcement of the resulting national provisions.

The Commission also develops non-legislative measures designed to help improve workers(cid:146) health and
safety and reduce workplace accidents and occupational diseases, focusing particularly on small and
medium-sized enterprises. For example, it is working on measures to enhance the awareness of the various
players, in a bid to establish a prevention culture as the most effective means of meeting changes and
developments in the world of work. Some of these non-legislative measures also involve the preparation of
non-binding practical guides intended to make it easier to understand the obligations imposed by the new
European legislation.

(1) Under the ESAW project, workplace accident rates cover all of the following nine main branches: agriculture,
forestry (cid:129) industry, manufacturing (cid:129) production and distribution of electricity, gas and water (cid:129)
hunting,
construction (cid:129) commerce, vehicle repair and repair of domestic items (cid:129) hotels and catering (cid:129) transport and
communications (cid:129) financial activities (cid:129) property,
leasing and services to companies (branches A and D to K
respectively of the classification of economic activities in the European Community (cid:129) NACE).

(2001/C 53 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0680/00

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: Involvement of elected representatives in overseeing international institutions

Will the Commission indicate whether any discussions are taking place with governments and parliament-
ary groups in order to promote the greater involvement of elected representatives in overseeing interna-
tional institutions, including the United Nations?

Is, for example, the Commission pursuing the European Parliament(cid:146)s proposal to invite the Chairs of
parliamentary environment committees to meet with officials from the UN(cid:146)s environmental agencies?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 2000)

The issue raised by the Honourable Member on the involvement of elected representatives overseeing
international institutions raises matters of global governance and reform of the United Nations system.
Given that the Community is not a member of the United Nations (UN), this is an area where Member
States have primary responsibility. The Honourable Member should be aware of the encouragement
generally given by the Commission to closer contacts between elected representatives and also interna-
tional organisations. This is also the basis for the arrangement between the Parliament, the Council and the
Commission on the involvement of Members of Parliament in international conferences.

(2001/C 53 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0681/00

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: NGO participation in discussions about the future of the UN

Will the Commission say what provisions are being made for the participation of Southern NGOs and civil
society organisations in the deliberations of the UN(cid:146)s Millennium Civil Society Forum in May, and the UN
Millennium General Assembly in September?