WRITTEN QUESTION E-1471/02 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Outbreak of rare diseases in the Milazzo industrial area.
Date: 2002-05-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sicily, cancer, competence of the Member States, industrial region, public health, respiratory disease

C 277 E/212

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

(2002/C 277 E/232)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1471/02

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Outbreak of rare diseases in the Milazzo industrial area

(27 May 2002)

For some years now there have been an abnormal number of deaths from cancer and from chronic
respiratory diseases in the industrial area of Milazzo (Sicily).

In the same industrial area, there have been recent cases of an extremely rare disease, namely amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis, which leads to paresis and atrophy of the muscles of the upper and lower limbs. As a
result, average incidence in Italy has risen from 2 to 25 in 100 000.

Despite repeated requests, the Italian government has failed to declare the zone a ‘high environmental risk
area’, and to date nothing has been done to protect the inhabitants’ right to a healthy environment.

The Commission:

1. Does it believe it should carry out detailed scientific research on the links between this alarming
outbreak of disease in the Milazzo area and the pollution caused by the huge local industrial complex?

2. Will it call on the Italian government to take all possible steps, as a matter of urgency, to ensure that
the industrial activity concerned is carried out in a fashion compatible with public health, in view of
the present increasing risks?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2002)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concern that the Union must protect citizens’ right to a
healthy environment.

According to the principle of subsidiarity and the competencies attributed to the Community in the area of
public health the instruments available to the Commission, such as the new Public Health Programme,
address issues of general concern. The situation described has, however, a local character, and the
consideration of the possible steps to take in this situation is, therefore, the responsibility of the Italian
authorities. These steps could include carrying out possible epidemiological or specific research studies in
the area at issue.

(2002/C 277 E/233)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1478/02

by Herman Schmid (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(27 May 2002)

Subject: Prohibition of child labour

Council Directive 1994/33 (1) on the protection of young people at work contains, inter alia, provisions
prohibiting child labour (Articles 1(1), 4(1) etc.) and others defining conditions and exemptions etc.
Article 17 prescribes that the provisions shall be incorporated into national legislation and regulations, and
that the Member States shall report to the Commission every five years on the practical implementation of
the directive. The Commission shall regularly report to the European Parliament, the Council and the
Economic and Social Committee on the implementation of the directive.

1.

2.

Has the directive been incorporated into the Member States’ legislation (in full or in part)?

Has the Commission received reports for the first five-year period?