WRITTEN QUESTION P-1303/01 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Employment rights for ministers of religion.
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: employment policy, labour law, religion

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/215

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2001)

The Honourable Member(cid:146)s question concerns notification of a safeguard clause in accordance with
Article 9 of Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the harmonisation of the laws of
Member States relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits (1), as
amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 (2) (cid:129) known as the Low Voltage Directive.

It has become clear in this context that the harmonised standard EN60598-1 on light fittings does not
fully meet the safety objectives of the Low Voltage Directive. In 1998, the Commission asked the European
Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (Cenelec) to amend the standard in question. Adopted in
1999, amendment 13 to this standard did not provide the necessary guarantees that electrical equipment
manufactured in accordance with it conforms to the essential requirements of the Directive. Under these
circumstances, and absent an amendment that takes account of the safety concerns of the national market
surveillance authorities and of the Commission, it is essential that the Commission(cid:146)s opinion is upheld.

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the draft opinion has been submitted to the
national market surveillance authorities for consultation and that these authorities have welcomed the
proposed approach. This opinion does not rule out the possibility of a subsequent amendment to the
harmonised standard to bring it in line with the requirements of the Directive and to take account of the
opinions expressed by all the parties concerned.

The Commission will continue to encourage Cenelec to reach a suitable technical solution. Furthermore, it
will bring up this subject again with the national authorities at the next meeting on the Low Voltage
Directive under the administrative cooperation procedure, in order to ensure uniform application of the
Directive on this point.

(1) OJ L 77, 26.3.1973.
(2) OJ L 220, 30.8.1993.

(2001/C 340 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1303/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Employment rights for ministers of religion

Can the Commission detail for each Member State those which fail to confer employment rights on
ministers of religion and specify which religions are included in those exceptions?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(30 May 2001)

The application of labour law and employment rights to ministers of religion differs substantially between
Member States. In some cases, ministers of religion are not covered by labour law because they do not
have the status of an employee. In others, churches or other religious communities are exempted from the
application of certain aspects of labour law. In addition, some legislative acts include special provisions for
churches and religious communities.

The rules concerning the application of employment rights to ministers of religion in the Member States
are therefore very complex. No systematic and detailed overview of the different situations exists. It is
therefore not possible to specify which religions are included or not in each case.