WRITTEN QUESTION E-3070/00 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. The Working Time Directive.
Date: 2000-10-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, air transport, arrangement of working time, maritime transport, organisation of work, road transport, transport policy, working time

C 113 E/236

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

B7-703, B7-704, B7-705 and B7-707 to be used, additionally, for campaigns and initiatives promoting a
moratorium on capital punishment. In moral terms, this represents a highly significant undertaking to
provide active support to those who are fighting against the death penalty all over the world. Could the
Commission therefore give details of the initiatives taken under the various budget headings to implement
Parliament(cid:146)s amendments?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 October 2000)

Since 1995 the Community budget has included an appropriation under which funding can be provided
for measures by non-governmental organisations against the death penalty (heading B7-7040). Two
regulations adopted by the Council on 29 April 1999 provide a legal basis for conducting human rights-
related activities and allow initiatives of this sort to be developed (1).

In 1999 the Commission and the Council of Europe jointly financed a programme intended to win public
support for the ending of the death penalty in Council of Europe member countries. Two operations were
approved in 2000, one to provide condemned prisoners in the Caribbean with funds to appeal against the
death sentence (€ 512 952) and the other to raise public awareness and support those campaigning for
abolition of the death penalty in the Philippines, the United States, the Caribbean and Europe (€ 675 859).

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 975/1999 of 29.4.1999 laying down the requirements for the implementation of
development cooperation operations which contribute to the general objective of developing and consolidating
democracy and the rule of law and to that of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, and Council
Regulation (EC) No 976/1999 of 29.4.1999 laying down the requirements for the implementation of Community
operations, other than those of development cooperation, which, within the framework of Community cooperation
policy, contribute to the general objective of developing and consolidating democracy and the rule of law and to
that of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in third countries (OJ L 120, 8.5.1999).

(2001/C 113 E/259)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3070/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(2 October 2000)

Subject: The Working Time Directive

What plans does the Commission have to include all or part of the transport industry in the Working
Time Directive?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 2000)

In accordance with Article 1(3) of Council Directive 1993/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning
certain aspects of the organisation of working time, (1) air, rail, road, sea,
inland waterway and lake
transport were originally excluded from the scope of that Directive.

On 22 June 2000, the Council and the Parliament adopted Directive 2000/34/EC (2) amending Council
Directive 1993/104/EC to cover sectors and activities excluded from that Directive. This Directive extends
the scope of the Working Time Directive to cover workers in all the above sectors (except sea transport,
see below) (cid:129) although only certain provisions apply to mobile workers in these sectors. The implementa-
tion deadline for this Directive is 1 August 2003 (except for doctors in training).

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Council Directive 1999/63/EC of 21 June 1999 concerning the Agreement on the organisation of working
time of seafarers concluded by the European Community Shipowners(cid:146) Association (ECSA) and the
Federation of Transport Workers(cid:146) Unions in the European Union (FST) (3) governs working time for
seafarers. Directive 1999/95/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 concerning
the enforcement of provisions in respect of seafarers(cid:146) hours of work on board ships calling at Community
ports (4) provides a mechanism for the verification and enforcement of compliance by ships calling at ports
of Member States with Directive 1999/63/EC. The implementation deadline for both Directives is 30 June
2002.

With respect to the civil aviation sector, the social partners reached an Agreement on working time for
mobile staff on 22 March 2000. The Commission adopted a proposal for a directive implementing this
Agreement on 23 June 2000 (5) and this is due to be adopted by the Council shortly. Once this is adopted
and implemented by Member States, working time for mobile staff in the civil aviation sector will be
governed by this Directive.

Finally, the Commission(cid:146)s proposed directive on the organisation of working time for mobile workers
performing road transport activities and for self-employed drivers is still on the table of the Council (6).

(1) OJ L 307, 13.12.1993.
(2) OJ L 195, 1.8.2000.
(3) OJ L 167, 2.7.1999.
(4) OJ L 14, 20.1.2000.
(5) COM(2000) 382 final.
(6) OJ C 43, 17.2.1999.

(2001/C 113 E/260)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3081/00

by Fran(cid:231)oise GrossetŒte (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 September 2000)

Subject: European Economic Area

Does the exemption granted to Norway in connection with dangerous substances, relating to the
classification of polyacrylamides, comply with the EEA Agreement? If it does, what is its justification?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 October 2000)

The Honourable Member refers to the derogation from Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on
the approximation of
laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification,
packaging and labelling of dangerous substances (1).

During the negotiations for the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, the following derogation was
agreed:
(cid:145)The Contracting Parties agree on the objective that the provisions of the Community acts on
dangerous substances and preparations should apply by 1 January 1995. [(cid:133)] Pursuant to co-operation to
be initiated from the signature of this Agreement in order to solve remaining problems, a review of the
situation will take place during 1994,
including matters not covered by Community legislation. If an
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) State concludes that it will need any derogation from the
Community acts relating to classification and labelling, the latter shall not apply to it unless the EEA
Joint Committee agrees on another solution(cid:146).

The reason for this derogation was that the standards then pertaining in the EFTA countries were more
exacting than those of the Community. It was thought to be a retrograde step to withdraw those standards,
especially since the Community has the intention to continue to raise its standards in this area.