WRITTEN QUESTION E-3292/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Possible discrimination against women in Swedish industrial injury insurance scheme.
Date: 2001-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sweden, complaint to the Commission, exchange of information, insurance, occupational accident, occupational disease, sexual discrimination

C 115 E/248

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

(2002/C 115 E/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3289/01

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 November 2001)

Subject: Tobacco subsidy

How much money has been allocated to tobacco production over each of the past 10 years?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2001)

The total amounts of Community tobacco premiums paid to farmers during the last 10 financial EAGGF
years, running from 16 October ‘n’ to 15 October ‘n+1’, are listed below:

, 1991: ECU 1 330 million,

, 1992: ECU 1 233 million,

, 1993: ECU 1 165 million,

, 1994: ECU 1 057 million,

, 1995: ECU 993 million,

, 1996: ECU 1 026 million,

, 1997: ECU 998 million,

, 1998: ECU 870 million,

, 1999: € 908 million,

, 2000: € 988 million.

(2002/C 115 E/267)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3292/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Subject: Possible discrimination against women in Swedish industrial injury insurance scheme

The press reported in October 1999 that the Commission had decided to examine whether women in
Sweden suffered discrimination under that country’s industrial
injury insurance scheme. The Swedish
Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO) had submitted a complaint to the Commission. The
Commission subsequently asked the Swedish Government for its views on the TCO’s complaint. It also
asked the TCO to set out its position in more detail.

There were two points at issue:

1. The method used to calculate pay. The TCO believes that women working part time are unfairly
treated in this respect, particularly those who reduce their working hours to take care of children , in
practice mostly women.

2. The criteria defining an industrial injury exclude injuries which often affect women especially. 70 per

cent of those whose injuries are recognised as work-related in Sweden are men.

Can the Commission say what the outcome of this matter was and whether its conclusion was satisfactory
to all parties involved?

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/249

Answer given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2002)

The Commission would confirm to the Honourable Member that it has received a complaint calling into
question the validity under Community law of the statutory insurance scheme for industrial accidents and
occupational diseases in Sweden.

According to the person submitting the complaint, the new rules on proof (based on presumptions) for the
purposes of recognising an accident or a disease as an industrial accident or an occupational disease, and
the method for calculating benefits depending on whether the worker concerned was working full- or part-
time when the accident occurred, constituted indirect discrimination against female workers.

The Commission is currently examining this complaint in the light of the applicable Community law, viz.
Council Directive 79/7/EEC of 19 December 1978 on the progressive implementation of the principle of
equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security (1), and the case law of the Court of
Justice in this area.

It will not fail to keep the Honourable Member informed of the outcome of the ongoing examination of
this complaint as soon as all the investigation and consultation work with all the parties concerned has
been properly completed.

(1) OJ L 6, 10.1.1979.

(2002/C 115 E/268)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3294/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Subject: Swedish derogations relating to animal feed

On 31 December 1997, 10 derogations granted to Sweden in respect of animal feed expired. In eight of
those cases, Community and Swedish legislation were brought into line with each other. The remaining
two, concerning colorants and ethoxyquin, were, according to the latest information received (early 1999),
still being processed, in particular by the Commission’s Standing Committee for Feedingstuffs.

Can the Commission say what steps have been taken on the last two derogations? Has Community
legislation been brought into line with Swedish legislation or vice-versa, or are the derogations still
applicable?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2002)

Sweden announced to the Standing Committee for Feedingstuffs of 20-21 October 1997 its intention to
abandon the derogation granted upon accession concerning the restrictions to use carotenoids and
xantophylls as colouring matters in feedingstuffs intended for poultry and the combined use of formic acid
with the antioxidant ethoxyquin.

The Commission was later informed in writing that the authorisation for use of these two feed additives in
Sweden has been transposed by a formal decision of 18 September 1997 by the Swedish Board of
Agriculture as an amendment to the Swedish statutory rules for feedingstuffs (SJVFS 1997:134).

The two groups of additives can therefore be used in Sweden according to the conditions established at
Community level since 1 January 1998.