WRITTEN QUESTION E-1212/00 by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission. Fire resistance standards for furniture in the single market.
Date: 2000-04-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, Ireland, United Kingdom, fire protection, furniture industry, safety standard

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/147

The Commission is currently examining the observations received from the German Government and
interested parties. Since the examination is still pending no indications about the possible outcome of the
investigations can be given at this stage.

(2001/C 46 E/169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1212/00

by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission

(14 April 2000)

Subject: Fire resistance standards for furniture in the single market

Is the Commission aware that at present furniture in the single market meets two different standards of fire
resistance? In the UK and Eire furniture meets a higher flammability resistance than the rest of Europe.
Since the introduction of legislation in the UK there has been a 50 % reduction in fire deaths.

Work done by the European standardisation body (CEN) has produced agreement on test methods for
cigarettes and match ignition sources, but has failed to deliver progress on post ignition fire tests using
larger ignition sources, which are essential for upholstered furniture safety, principally in the home but
also in places of public assembly. This lack of progress is despite considerable expenditure by the
Commission.

Is the Commission satisfied with this lack of progress and what pressure will it bring to bear to ensure
rapid progress on agreeing post ignition fire tests standards and that the tests are applied in regulation at
the earliest opportunity?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2000)

The Commission follows safety issues closely, including those relating to fire. It is aware that effective fire
safety depends on national or local authorities taking measures on all factors affecting fire risk, such as
building regulations, fire-reaction and fire-resistance requirements, evacuation arrangements, the presence
of fire-fighting devices (sprinklers), and public information. A comprehensive policy can therefore be
implemented only at the appropriate national level.

Furniture(cid:146)s resistance to the spread of flames is one such factor, and in the absence of specific Community
harmonisation on furniture it is up to the Member States, within the framework of Council Directive 92/
59/EEC of 29 June 1992 on general product safety (1), to protect the health and safety of people and goods
by means of appropriate national regulations and standards.

However, the Commission(cid:146)s proposal of 29 March 2000 (2) to amend the General Product Safety Directive
introduces provisions to ensure that products which meet European standards drawn up by the European
standardisation institutes in response to mandates from the Commission be deemed to comply with the
safety criteria laid down by the Directive.

In the light of these proposed new provisions, the Commission intends to check whether new standards
are needed, or whether existing standards need to be modified, in various areas of interest for consumer
safety. This will include the various aspects of fire safety. Should a particular aspect prove to require a
standardisation mandate, and assuming there is sufficient agreement among the parties concerned, the
Commission might consider drawing up such a mandate.

(1) OJ L 228, 11.8.1992.
(2) COM(2000) 140 final.