WRITTEN QUESTION E-2167/02 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Accident rate on board Community fishing vessels.
Date: 2002-07-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, competence of the Member States, cooperation policy, fishing vessel, national implementing measure, occupational accident, occupational health, occupational safety, social partners

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/53

where prices have indeed risen, the effect on public opinion may be significant. This may explain why
there is a general perception that prices have risen following the introduction of the euro banknotes and
coins.

However, it should be remembered that the fundamental medium to long run anticipated effect of the
physical introduction of euro banknotes and coins is to improve the competitive environment across the
euro area, and thus ultimately to raise economic efficiency as well as have a downward impact on
consumer prices.

(1) The press release No 84/2002 issue on 17 July 2002 may be found at the following internet address: http://
www.europa.eu.int/comm/eurostat/Public/datashop/print-product/EN?catalogue=Eurostat&product=2-17072002-EN-
BP-EN&mode=download.

(2) Eurostat.
(3) The alcohol and tobacco goods registered a 2 % quarterly inflation q/q in 2002Q1.
(4) This range is slightly higher than the 0,0 % to 0,16 % range estimated for the month-on-month change between
December 2001 and January 2002 and the quarter-on-quarter change between the last quarter of 2001 and the first
quarter of 2002, as first published by Eurostat in February and May 2002.

(2003/C 192 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2167/02

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Accident rate on board Community fishing vessels

(18 July 2002)

Bearing in mind that the accident rate on board Community fishing vessels remains extremely high, does
the Commission not consider it necessary to step up its policy of updating and improving mechanisms to
increase safety and prevent industrial accidents on board vessels in the Community fleet?

What measures has the Commission taken and what steps will it take to cut the accident rate on board
Community fishing vessels?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2002)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concern about the situation in the fisheries sector,
which is regarded as a high-risk area of activity.

The Commission would emphasise in this connection that since 1989, a broad legislative framework has,
on a proposal from the Commission, been adopted by the EU with the aim of encouraging improvements
in the health and safety of workers at work, particularly with regard to the safety of workers on fishing
vessels.

Reference should be made here to the framework Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the
introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (1) and
the individual Council Directives 93/103/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning the minimum safety and
health requirements for work on board fishing vessels (2), 90/269/EEC of 29 May 1990 on the minimum
health and safety requirements for the manual handling of loads where there is a risk particularly of back
injury to workers (3), 89/655/EEC of 30 November 1989 concerning the minimum safety and health
requirements for the use of work equipment by workers at work (4) as amended by Council Directive 95/
63/EC of 5 December 1995 (5), 89/656/EEC of 30 November 1989 on the minimum health and safety
requirements for the use by workers of personal protective equipment at the workplace (4), and Council
Directive 92/29/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved
medical treatment on board vessels (6).

C 192 E/54

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

it is up to the Member States to ensure that the national provisions transposing these
Nevertheless,
directives are properly monitored and supervised so that the preventive policy which they prescribe
actually contributes to reducing the number of accidents and occupational diseases in the maritime sector.

As regards more effective prevention of accidents at work, and with a view to enhancing this policy, the
Commission would draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the new Community strategy on health
and safety at work 2002-2006, which was recently adopted by the Commission in its communication of
11 March 2002 (7). This new strategy, which takes a global approach to well-being in the workplace, takes
as its basis the creation of a more firmly established risk-prevention culture, a combination of various
social
policy tools
responsibility of firms, economic incentives) and the building of partnerships between all parties involved
in health and safety.

social dialogue, development and identification of best practices,

(legislation,

With respect to the fisheries sector in particular, the Commission intends, also as part of this new strategy,
to call on the social partners to identify measures aimed at improving living and working conditions and
safety in the fisheries sector, enhancing the role of women and helping to increase employment, especially
among young people, in regions dependent on this sector.

All the measures described seek to reinforce the Commission’s policy of bringing up to date and improving
health and safety provision for workers at work, particularly those working on board Community fishing
vessels. This should all make a significant contribution to reducing the number of workplace accidents in
this sector.

Finally, given the fact that, according to the special ‘health and safety’ module of the 1999 LFS (8), fishing
constitutes one of the most dangerous economic activities with a relative incidence of 243 % compared
with the European average (9), the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is currently developing
an information system to improve health and safety in this sector and provide information on good
practices

(1) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.
(2) OJ L 307, 13.12.1993.
(3) OJ L 156, 21.6.1990.
(4) OJ L 393, 30.12.1989.
(5) OJ L 335, 30.12.1995.
(6) OJ L 113, 30.4.1992.
(7) COM(2002) 118 final.
(8) LFS = Community labour force survey conducted by Eurostat pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1571/98

of 20 July 1998 (cid:1) OJ C 205, 22.7.1998.

(9) See Statistics in focus (cid:1) Theme 3: Population and social conditions, No 16/2002, p. 6.

(2003/C 192 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2201/02

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Failure to implement Directive 89/48/EEC in practice

(22 July 2002)

Greek engineering graduates who are already registered with the Technical Chambers of European Union
Member States, such as Italy, Germany and others, have received recognition of their professional diplomas
from the Council for the Recognition of Higher Education Diplomas under Directive 89/48/EEC (1). These
engineers wish to become members of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), which is a precondition for
pursuing their profession in Greece and being insured by the appropriate insurance body. This is, however,
not possible, since Greek law 1486/84 requires academic equivalence as well as professional equivalence
for registration with the TEE. Thus, in spite of the fact that two years have passed since the publication of
Presidential Decree 165/2000, transposing Directive 89/48/EEC into Greek law, these engineers are unable
to pursue their profession. Will the Commission take steps to ensure that the above directive is correctly
implemented and that Greek legislation complies with it?

(1) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16.