WRITTEN QUESTION E-0092/03 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Programmes of assessment of buildings vulnerable to earthquakes.
Date: 2003-01-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Apulia, EU programme, building regulations, cartography, civil defence, earthquake, educational institution, public safety

C 268 E/70

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.11.2003

and the partnership between the Union and the Transitional Government of Afghanistan.’ According to the
return plan returns should be sustainable and by no means should obstruct reconstruction activities. The
ARCG would have a role in the assessment of the security situation on the ground, including the reception
capacity, and the development of a clear and realistic picture of the possible beneficiaries of the plan. The
number of 1 500 returning refugees, was a first and rough estimate. It will be one of the tasks of the
ACRG to provide a more precise and realistic number of people that could be returned to Afghanistan.

(1) http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/newmain.asp?lang=1.

(2003/C 268 E/072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0092/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: Programmes of assessment of buildings vulnerable to earthquakes

In San Giuliano di Puglia (Italy -31 October 2002) a recently modified school building collapsed in a
moderate sized earthquake resulting in the death of 27 occupants (25 of them schoolchildren). According
to the European Association of Earthquake Engineering this is not an isolated incident. Similar incidents
could happen in many European countries; however, the problem is preventable and the risk can be
substantially reduced by a programme of expert assessment of the older and more vulnerable existing
structures and a programme of strengthening works in the highest-risk areas. The rules for the assessment
and strengthening of structures are available in the European Standard, Part 1-4 of Eurocode 8, prEN
1998-3.

In the interest of preventing further loss of life and considering that in many Member States there is
excessive earthquake activity, could the Commission formulate a directive requiring the Member States to
(according to the above-mentioned European Standard) of all
establish programmes of assessment
buildings and structures in areas known to be prone to damaging earthquakes and of strengthening the
ones which are found to be inadequate?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2003)

The Commission deeply regrets the loss of human lives and the damages caused to the population of San
Giuliano di Puglia.

At this stage, the Commission does not envisage any specific proposal for legislation in the field of
earthquake mitigation.

However, the current action programme in the field of civil protection established by Council decision
1999/847/EC (1) foresees to develop initiatives in the fields of risk management methodologies, including
risk mapping, for seism and other disasters. In that context, a call for proposal shall be published in the
first half of 2003.

Moreover, the Commission will adopt a communication by May 2003 that will present new concrete
measures to improve public safety in the context of natural and man-made hazards. The Parliament will be
invited to a meeting planned for 28 February 2003 to discuss these measures, jointly with the Commission
as well as the concerned stakeholders.

The above mentioned two initiatives should contribute to the establishment of assessment programmes for
identifying vulnerable structures in earthquake prone areas.

(1) 1999/847/EC: Council Decision of 9 December 1999 establishing a Community action programme in the field of

civil protection, OJ L 327, 21.12.1999.