WRITTEN QUESTION P-3265/00 by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (PSE) to the Council. Proposal for a directive on physical agents.
Date: 2000-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: environmental risk prevention, nuisance, occupational disease, occupational health, occupational safety, proposal (EU)

C 163 E/68

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

Subsequent events have rendered the Constitutional Court(cid:146)s decision irrelevant. They have allowed the FRY
to turn over a sad page in its history in the direction hoped for by the international community and to
which the European Union in particular had actively committed itself.

(2001/C 163 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3265/00

by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (PSE) to the Council

(16 October 2000)

Subject: Proposal for a directive on physical agents

A new report by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work highlights vibrations as one of the
most important problems in the work environment which require preventive measures by most countries.
In 1992, the Commission submitted a proposal for a directive on physical agents, including vibrations.
A European Parliament opinion on the subject has been awaiting consideration by the Council since 1994.
Will the Council set out its timetable for work on this proposal for a directive and say whether it will
complete the task during the French Presidency?

Reply

(26 February 2001)

The Council is very mindful of the fact that vibrations represent an important problem for health and

1.
safety at work and that it is necessary for Member States to undertake preventive work on this.

2.
The proposal for a Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure
of workers to the risks arising from physical agents, and in particular from vibration, has already been the
subject of intensive discussions in the various Council bodies. The Council would inform the Honourable
Member that, at its meeting on 27/28 November 2000, it reached unanimous political agreement on
a draft common position concerning the amended proposal for a Directive setting minimum health and
safety requirements for workers exposed to risks arising from mechanical vibrations. The purpose of this
Directive is to combat the effects of vibrations causing muscular and skeletal disorders which are now the
primary source of occupational illnesses.

(2001/C 163 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3270/00

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council

(23 October 2000)

Subject: Pilots above the age of sixty entering or flying over French airspace

Currently, no pilot over the age of sixty may fly over or into France while in charge of a public transport
operation. This causes particular problems for British pilots, who are clearly at a geographical disadvan-
tage.

Can the Council clarify whether France has the right to deny permission to a pilot over the age of sixty,
who holds a valid JAA licence and meets JAA requirements, to fly to other JAA countries,
including
through French air space and to French destinations? Alternatively, does France have a right under the JAA
Agreement to impose more stringent rules than those laid down by the JAA in JAR-FCL?