WRITTEN QUESTION P-0828/00 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Television set fire safety.
Date: 2000-03-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cenelec, fire, safety standard, television equipment

C 330 E/216

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

transposing the directive. The rights of these young medical graduates who were working as dentists were
reinstated by means of Law 471/88, which was challenged by the European Court of Justice following an
appeal. On 8 October 1998 the Italian Government approved a legislative decree requiring dentists who
were registered at university between 1980 and 1985 to sit an aptitude test as a precondition for
continuing to work as dentists despite the fact that they had already been active in the profession for
10 years.

The dentists in question feel that they are being unjustly penalised for Italy(cid:146)s failure to transpose the
directive on time.

Replying to a question put to the Commission in November 1998, Commissioner Monti stated on
14 January 1999 that the aptitude test requirement had not been imposed by the Commission, but was
the result of negotiations between the Commission and the Italian authorities.

Failure to pass the test leads to automatic exclusion from the dentists(cid:146) register for qualified dentists who
have been practising for more than ten years.

1. Would the Commission have any objections to tackling the problem facing these dentists by
organising training and refresher courses without any selective final examination (a procedure applied to
other professional persons, such as psychotherapists and lawyers (cid:129) Law 93/16 (cid:129) and general practitioners
(cid:129) Law 277/91)?

2. More generally, does the Commission not agree that the rights of qualified dentists who have been
practising for more than ten years should be properly protected?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2000)

As stated in the reply to Mrs Muscardini(cid:146)s written question E-3352/98 (1), which was quoted by the
Honourable Member, the aptitude test as a means of recognising those medical graduates called into
question by the Court of Justice judgment of 1 June 1995 (2) was the result of negotiations between the
Commission and the Italian authorities, held at
In the absence of such
negotiations, and on the basis of Article 228 (ex Article 171) of the EC Treaty, Italy would have had to
take all necessary measures to comply with the above judgment and, as a result, would have had simply to
withdraw the licence to practise dentistry from all those involved.

the request of

the latter.

The Commission has agreed to authorise the medical graduates concerned to practise dentistry (cid:129) notably
on the basis of an aptitude test (cid:129) and has presented a proposal to amend to this effect Directive 78/686/
EEC on the mutual recognition of dentists(cid:146) qualifications (3) in view of the proposal, as part of the SLIM
initiative, for a European Parliament and Council Directive of 2 December 1997 (4). This proposal is being
discussed by the European Parliament and the Council under the codecision procedure. This will allow
these medical graduates to retain the right to practise dentistry.

(1) OJ C 182, 28.6.1999.
(2) European Court Reports 1995, page I-1319.
(3) OJ C 233, 24.8.1978.
(4) OJ C 28, 28.1.1998.

(2000/C 330 E/252)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0828/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 March 2000)

Subject: Television set fire safety

Is the Commission aware that a recent report from the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute
allegedly shows that, as a result of the lowering of fire safety levels for TV set enclosures during the 1990s,
televisions sold in Europe pose a greater fire risk than those sold in the United States?

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Evidence in the report allegedly suggests that there are television sets on the European market which tend
to be more susceptible to ignition and burn fiercely in the event of fire, thus severely shortening people(cid:146)s
potential escape time. This has implications for households across Europe, particularly for hospitals and
care premises where fire codes aim to control the flammability of the contents, and therefore hazards,
because of the difficulties of evacuating patients in the event of a fire.

Will the Commission urgently review the safety standards of television sets sold in Europe so as to ensure
that the most vulnerable groups in society are protected from fire to the same degree as, or to a higher
standard than those in the United States?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(18 April 2000)

The Commission attaches a high priority to matters regarding fire safety.

The Commission has contacted the relevant Swedish authorities in order to obtain more information on
the report from the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute mentioned by the Honourable
Member.

The safety of Television sets is regulated by the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC concerning electrical
equipment designed for use with certain voltage limits (1). Aspects relating to fire safety are more
specifically addressed in Harmonised Standard EN 60065:1998,
(cid:145)Audio, video and similar electronic
apparatus (cid:129) Safety requirements(cid:146) adopted by the European standardisation organisation Cenelec.

The Commission has so far received no information from national authorities regarding shortcomings of
the above mentioned standard in relation to fire safety. However, in response to the question from the
Honourable Member, the Commission will now raise the question with national authorities in charge of
the enforcement of the Low Voltage Directive at their next meeting scheduled for 26 (cid:129) 27 April 2000.

The need for further action, including the potential for a review of relevant safety standards for television
sets, will then be considered on the basis of information received from Member States.

(1) OJ L 77, 26.3.1973.

(2000/C 330 E/253)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0837/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Mining of iron-nickel at Platani in Aghia Sofia, Euboea

(21 March 2000)

In May 1997 the company Larko Ltd. began operations in the region of Aghia Sofia, Euboea, including
shipments of surface deposits of iron-nickel from Platani.

Given that:

(cid:129) the Directorate-General for the Environment of the Ministry for the Environment, Regional Planning
impact
and Public Works approved, by ministerial decision 111249/5.8.98, an environmental
assessment by Larko undertaken by a summary procedure, i.e. without any publication of information
or notification of local bodies, in violation of Directive 85/337/EEC (1),

(cid:129) the director of forestry of Euboea, by decision 3243/2.11.98, ceded to the company in question

85,7 hectares of public forestry land at Platani which consists primarily of fir trees,