WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Health and safety of workers — complaint 00/4404, SG(2000) A/3828/2.
Date: 2002-10-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, application of EU law, infringement procedure (EU), labour law, occupational disease, occupational health, occupational safety

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/215

(2003/C 52 E/237)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 October 2002)

Subject: Health and safety of workers (cid:1) complaint 00/4404, SG(2000) A/3828/2

Recently in Greece, several workers have lost their lives in accidents at work. Industrial diseases are
simply not recorded. Complaints to the Commission on this subject include a file (cid:1) 00/4404, SG(2000)
A/3828/2 (cid:1) containing evidence of a specific refusal to implement the legislation on workers’ health and
safety at the workplace. The Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) has added a mass of data to
this file concerning numerous similar cases. The number of complaints is mounting and it is commonly
held in Greece that the authorities responsible for implementing the directive on workers’ health and safety
are failing in their task. Despite my repeated questions (E-0014/00 (1), E-3049/01 (2), E-3050/01, E-0906/
01 (3)) and its assurances that it will examine the information, the Commission has yet to take action.

1. What means does the Commission have of bringing pressure to bear on the Greek regulatory
authorities to carry out more effective checks within their powers?

Is the Commission considering the possibility of investigating the matter on the spot and examining

2.
all the data supplied by the GSEE?

(1) OJ C 280 E, 3.10.2000, p. 158.
(2) OJ C 134 E, 6.6.2002, p. 187.
(3) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001, p. 119.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(31 October 2002)

1.
It is the responsibility of the Member States to ensure adequate monitoring and supervision of
national measures transposing Community directives in the area of health and safety of workers at work
(cf. Article 4 of Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the
safety and health of workers at work (1)).

However, where concrete facts generally suggest a situation of non-application of the national legislation
transposing Community directives, the Commission may make use of the procedures provided for by the
EC Treaty,
in particular those based on Article 226 (initiation of infringement proceedings against a
Member State which has failed to fulfil its obligations under the EC Treaty).

2.
The Commission is currently examining all the facts which have been transmitted to it in the context
of complaint 00/4404. On the basis of the results of this examination, the Commission will take the
appropriate measures and, if necessary, continue its contacts with the Greek authorities and/or the plaintiff
with a view to completing its analysis of this specific case.

(1) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.

(2003/C 52 E/238)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2785/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(3 October 2002)

Subject: Federal Mogul factory closure (cid:1) lack of notification of workforce

The Federal Mogul Company, currently based in Bridgwater, south-west England, employs 370 people. On
20 August 2002 the company announced (cid:1) without prior notification to the workforce (cid:1) that the factory
would be closing. The company intend to transfer the work to Poland and Turkey.