WRITTEN QUESTION P-1324/00 by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission. Psychological support in the event of major accidents and natural disasters.
Date: 2000-04-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, help for victims, man-made disaster, mental health, natural disaster

C 46 E/170

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

(2001/C 46 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1315/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) and Gianfranco Fini (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 86/653/EEC in Italy

(27 April 2000)

A company has awarded a severance payment to an employee (sales representative) pursuant to an
economic agreement of 25 July 1989 rather than Legislative Decree No 303 of 10 September 1991, based
on Directive 86/653/EEC (1) on the coordination of the laws of the Member States relating to self-employed
commercial agents, in accordance with Article 15 of Law No 428 of 29 December 1990.

The company(cid:146)s decision considerably reduces the amount of the severance payment. The application of LD
No 303, on the other hand, which is based on the European directive, would work to the advantage of the
worker who, quite rightly, is invoking it, so far without success.

Can the Commission therefore state:

(cid:129) whether the European directive should take priority over the 1989 economic agreement?

(cid:129) whether European legislation takes precedence over national legislation?

(cid:129) if so, what action can the worker take to exercise his rights as recognised by the directive?

(1) OJ L 382, 31.12.1986, p. 17.

Answer by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

The meaning of commercial agent, for the purposes of Council Directive 86/653/EE on the coordination
of the laws of the Member States relating to self-employed commercial agents, is defined in Article 1 (2) of
the directive as (cid:145)a self-employed intermediary who has continuing authority to negotiate the sale or the
purchase of goods on behalf of another person, hereinafter called the (cid:147)principal(cid:148), or to negotiate and
conclude such transactions on behalf of and in the name of that principal(cid:146).

The definition of commercial agent as given in the directive excludes certain types of commercial
intermediary, especially sales representatives, who do not work as self-employed intermediaries but as
paid employees of an enterprise.

(2001/C 46 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1324/00

by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 April 2000)

Subject: Psychological support in the event of major accidents and natural disasters

Several serious accidents and natural disasters have occurred in Europe in recent years (cid:129) earthquakes,
avalanches, landslides, floods, train accidents, accidents at sea, mining disasters, etc. Apart from causing
countless deaths and physical injuries, these disasters have also inflicted mental suffering and trauma on a
great many people.

There is a crucial need for psychological support for individuals who have experienced traumatic events.
Psychological support during the first few days significantly improves the chances of recovery.

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/171

Many European countries have set up organisations to help care for victims who are in need of
psychological help. These organisations come together in the EFPPA, for example (European Federation
of Professional Psychologists Associations), which has 30 member associations.

Are there any projects in the EU which endeavour to organise assistance for victims of accidents in need of
psychological support, or are there plans to set up such programmes at European level?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Under the Community action programme in the field of civil protection for 1998 and 1999 (Council
Decision 98/22/EC of 19 December 1997 (1)), the Commission financed the following measures in the area
of psychosocial help in the event of disasters, as part of the major disaster medicine project: self-training
workshop on preparing those responsible for, and involved in, civil protection to deal with the
psychosocial dimension of disasters; several workshops on the management of psychosocial monitoring
in the case of collective emergencies; a workshop on psychosocial support in crisis situations.

These activities led to the drafting of practical recommendations on the organisation of psychosocial
support for those involved, victims and family members, which have been published on the Internet:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/civil/.

Accordingly, within the framework of the Community action programme in the field of civil protection for
2000-2004 (Council Decision 1999/847/EC of 9 December 1999 (2)), Belgium has proposed a project
relating to the management of psychosocial support in the case of disasters. The purpose of the project is
to prepare a methodological guide, monitoring indicators and a system for training those responsible,
covering the entire Community.

A programme of Community action on injury prevention (Decision No 372/1999/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 8 February 1999 (3)) has been adopted in the area of public health, the
main objective of which is to contribute to public health activities to reduce the incidence of injuries by
promoting the epidemiological monitoring of injuries and exchanges of information on the use of these
data in order to help to define priorities and improve prevention strategies. No projects relating to
psychological support in the case of serious accident or natural disaster have yet been submitted. However,
they could be considered, account being taken of the eligibility criteria, the annual priorities and the
annual resources available.

(1) OJ L 8, 14.1.1998.
(2) OJ L 327, 21.12.1999.
(3) OJ L 46, 20.2.1999.

(2001/C 46 E/199)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1328/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Ayuso GonzÆlez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 April 2000)

Subject: Proposal

for an European Parliament and Council regulation on the closure of

the ECIP

programme

On 31 January 2000 the Commission published a proposal for an European Parliament and Council
regulation on the implementation of the European Communities Investment Partners financial instrument
(ECIP), in which it proposed the liquidation of the existing set of programmes (COM(1999) 0726).

Is it true that in the more recent years of this programme(cid:146)s life there have been procedural delays in the
Commission in allocating projects? Can the Commission state whether in fact ECIP virtually ground to a
halt in 1999, in the wake of the creation and entry into operation of the Joint Service for the management
of Community Aid to Non-Member Countries, the resignation of the Commission and the reorganisation
carried out within the new Commission? Is it true that these circumstances have led to certain requests,
including Nos 3749 (Mercosur) and 3750 (Mexico), being accepted but not subsequently processed by the
Approvals Committee?