WRITTEN QUESTION E-0708/01 by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (PSE) to the Commission. Working environment of pregnant women.
Date: 2001-03-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: female work, motherhood, occupational health, position of women, raw chemical industry, sexual discrimination

C 318 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

(2001/C 318 E/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0708/01

by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Working environment of pregnant women

(8 March 2001)

On 6 July 2000 Parliament adopted a highly critical opinion (A5-0155/2000) assessing the practical
implementation of Directive 92/85/EEC (1) on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in
the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are
breastfeeding

EU rules and regulations on the working environment are based on the principle that it should be
irrelevant whether a female worker is pregnant and the Directive, therefore, provides for a risk assessment
in relation to pregnancy.

The Danish newspaper Erhvervsbladet of 8 February reports that female painters are almost automatically
reported sick even though paint which may be harmful to health is used in only a few situations in the
trade. In the same article, health and safety consultants put forward the view that, in the vast majority of
situations, the ergonomic problems can be resolved. Employers in the painting trade complain about this
situation as they need their female workforce.

On the whole, the directive is based on the principle that women may not be subject to indirect
discrimination as a result of being pregnant or breastfeeding.

What initiatives has the Commission taken to follow up Parliament(cid:146)s opinion?

Does the Commission agree that the working environment for painters is such that pregnant workers need
not be reported sick to any greater extent than other groups of employees?

(1) OJ L 348, 28.11.1992, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2001)

The Commission entirely agrees with the Honourable Member that the working environment for painters
is such that pregnant workers need not be reported sick to any greater extent than other groups of
employees.

On 5 October 2000 (1) the Commission adopted a (cid:145)Communication on the guidelines on the assessment of
the chemical, physical and biological agents and industrial processes considered hazardous for the safety or
health of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding(cid:146), based on
Council Directive 92/85/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the introduction of measures to encourage
improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently
given birth or are breastfeeding (tenth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive
89/391/EEC).

The Commission, which attaches the greatest importance to protection of the health and safety of women
involved in
at work, considers that these guidelines are an essentially practical
occupational health (doctors, engineers, industrial hygienists, etc.) in order to achieve higher standards of
protection.

tool for use by all

Further, during the course of 2002, the Commission will produce a report on the safety and health at
work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding, on the basis of
which proposals to amend Directive 92/85/EEC will be considered.

(1) COM(2000) 466 final.