WRITTEN QUESTION E-2993/02 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Measures to reduce fisheries accidents.
Date: 2002-10-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, disclosure of information, fishing industry, fishing vessel, information system, maritime safety, maritime transport, transport accident

C 110 E/146

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.5.2003

the causes of fishing accidents and developments in that field, and therefore calls for a regulation designed
to ensure that the Member States apply the various stages of the European statistics on fishing accidents
and European statistics on occupational diseases’.

Has the Commission taken any steps in this connection?

(1) OJ C 21 E, 24.1.2002, p. 359.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 2002)

Since 1990, the Commission, Eurostat and the Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs,
together with the competent national authorities, have been engaged in the harmonisation of European
statistics relating to accidents at work (ESAW Project (1)). The aim of the project is to coordinate the
criteria and methodologies applicable to the registration and transmission to the Commission of
occupational accident data. ESAW statistics covering all the Member States are currently available for the
period 1993-2000.

With a view to stimulating a more vigorous policy for the prevention of occupational accidents in Europe,
a final phase (ESAW III) allowing the identification and analysis of the causes and circumstances of such
accidents, has just been initiated. Phase III data will gradually become available for the reference years
2001 to 2004.

In the case of occupational diseases, data collection for the first phase of EODS (2) statistics has commenced
for the reference year 2001. Collection is based on a harmonised list of 69 medical diagnoses, coded in
accordance with the WHO ICD-10 (3), and a list of related agents. These data will be available annually
from 2003.

(1) ESAW: European Statistics on Accidents at Work.
(2) EODS: European Occupational Diseases Statistics.
(3)

ICD: International Statistical Classification of Diseases.

(2003/C 110 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2993/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(23 October 2002)

Subject: Measures to reduce fisheries accidents

Paragraph 18 of the EP’s resolution of 5 April 2001 on Fisheries: safety and causes of accidents (1) ‘urges
the Commission to require transparency as regards the information provided by Member States on ships
and their operation so that it can be incorporated into the real-time information system Equasis now being
set up by the Commission’.

Has the Commission taken any steps in this connection?

(1) OJ C 21 E, 24.1.2002, p. 359.

8.5.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 110 E/147

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 2002)

With regard to the recommendation in paragraph 18 of the resolution adopted by Parliament on 5 April
2001 urging ‘the Commission to require transparency as regards the information provided by Member
States on ships and their operation so that it can be incorporated into the real-time information system
Equasis now being set up by the Commission’, it should be remembered that the Equasis information
system relates only to commercial vessels and does not contain any information on their operation.

The Commission has not taken any new initiatives in this connection.

(2003/C 110 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2994/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(23 October 2002)

Subject: Measures to reduce fisheries accidents

Paragraph 20 of the EP’s resolution of 5 April 2001 on Fisheries: safety and causes of accidents (1) ‘calls on
the Commission to co-finance, together with the Member States and the fishing industry, the necessary
vocational and continuing training campaigns’.

Has the Commission taken any steps in this connection?

What vocational and continuing training campaigns has the Commission co-financed since that date?

(1) OJ C 21 E, 24.1.2002, p. 359.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 November 2002)

In point 20 of the resolution to which the Honourable Member refers Parliament calls on the Commission
to co-finance together with the Member States and the fishing industry the necessary vocational and
continuing training campaigns.

regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries

Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down detailed rules and
(implementing
arrangements
Regulation for the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) includes training of fishermen in its scope:
see the last indent of paragraph 4 in Article 11 (small-scale coastal fishing), point (k) in paragraph 3 of
Article 15 (operations by members of the trade) and paragraph 1 of Article 17 (innovative measures and
technical assistance). Training measures must be presented by Member States in the form of projects to be
part-financed from the FIFG. There has not yet been any action of this type in the current programming
period (2000-06) but it is still open to Member States to present part-financing applications for such
training.

sector (1)

Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999 of 12 July 1999 on the European Social Fund (2)
includes as an aim promoting and improving training, education and counselling in the lifelong learning
policy framework.

The types of activity implementing the policy priorities listed in the Regulation can include awareness-
raising about and vocational training on safety and health in the work place. Action of this type has long
been financed from the ESF in all economic sectors.