WRITTEN QUESTION E-2798/03 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE), Dorette Corbey (PSE)and Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Electrical safety of caravans.
Date: 2003-09-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC conformity marking, Netherlands, accident in the home, application of EU law, camping vehicle, electrical equipment, product safety, safety standard, technical standard

13.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/219

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(13 Oktober 2003)

On 1 September 2003, Portugal reported to the Commission that their planned government deficit for
2003 was 2,9 % of the gross domestic product (GDP). Moreover, the Portuguese authorities informed that
this projection includes receipts of EUR 930 million (equivalent to 0,7 % of GDP) to be paid by the public
enterprise CTT to Caixa Geral de Aposentações (the civil servants social insurance scheme). This payment
is in exchange of the transfer of pension responsibility vis-à-vis the CTT employees that have civil servant
status.

The deficit figures that are reported by the Member States to the Commission, and which are the basis for
assessing the respect of the Stability and Growth Pact, should be established according to the rules of the
European System of National and Regional Accounts (or ESA95) (1). When the ESA95 rules do not cover
any specific transaction, the respective accounting treatment is decided by Eurostat, on behalf of the
Commission, in accordance with the Code of Best Practice on the compilation and reporting of data in the
context of the excessive deficit procedure adopted by the Council on 18 February 2003. The procedure
leading to the decision on the accounting treatment usually involves the creation of a small technical task
force and the consultation of the Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payment Statistics
(CMFB). This procedure can be initiated either at the request of Member States, or by the Commission
(Eurostat).

ESA95 does not provide clear guidance on the accounting treatment of transactions which involve lump-
sum payments to government in exchange of the transfer of the responsibility for future pension systems.
Therefore, in April 2003, it was decided to clarify the accounting treatment of these operations and to
launch the above-described procedure. A task force (cid:1) which included one representative of the Portuguese
statistical institute (cid:1) met in June 2003 and the CMFB will be consulted shortly. Although no date has been
announced, the decision on the accounting treatment of these transactions will be made public this
autumn.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system of national and regional accounts in

the Community, OJ L 310, 30.11.1996.

(2004/C 65 E/234)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2798/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE), Dorette Corbey (PSE)
and Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2003)

Subject: Electrical safety of caravans

According to two reports in the Algemeen Dagblad (6 and 8 September 2003), electrical installations in
most caravans do not comply with European safety requirements. The CE inspection stamp is lacking in
34 brands of caravans out of 40. Altogether, there are 433 000 touring caravans in the Netherlands. The
most common faults are the absence of earth leakage circuit breakers, inadequately ventilated converters,
faultily installed or unprotected electrical wiring, and connectors. As a result, situations can arise which are
very dangerous for people (cid:1) especially children (cid:1) inside caravans.

Does the Commission agree that non-compliance with Directive 93/68/EEC (1)
Netherlands and other Member States?

is common in the

To what extent
installations, and what may the consequences be if accidents occur?

is the product

liability directive applicable to caravans with such faulty electrical

Are checks carried out in the various Member States to ascertain whether Directive 93/68/EEC and other
relevant legislation is complied with? If so, how and by whom?

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13.3.2004

What has the Commission done in recent years to check whether Member States (cid:1) particularly the
Netherlands (cid:1) are complying with Directive 93/68/EEC, and has the Commission noticed that the Dutch
authorities have failed to perform any checks on the caravan industry, which is so important to Dutch
holiday-makers? If so, what action has been taken on the finding?

What measures vis-à-vis the authorities and caravan builders and importers will the Commission take in
order to remedy or avert this dangerous situation?

(1) OJ L 220, 30.8.1993, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 October 2003)

At present, there are no specific Community provisions concerning the technical standards to be met by
electrical
installations in caravans. These are regulated by the implementation of the Member States’
national provisions.

It should be pointed out that the article which appeared in the Dutch press mixes up the safety standards
required of electrical installations with the safety standards which must be met by the electrical equipment
itself.

To clarify the matter, Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 (1) relating to electrical equipment,
as amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 (2) on the EC marking, applies in general to all
electrical equipment whether incorporated or not in the electrical installation of a caravan, which is used
with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1 000 volts for alternating current or between 75 and 1 500 volts
for direct current.

As the result of the general provisions of Directive 73/23/EC, electrical equipment may be placed on the
market only if it complies with the technical requirements in the Directive and has been constructed in
accordance with the rules on safety in force in the Community and does not endanger the safety of
persons, domestic animals or property when properly installed and maintained and used in applications for
which it was made. Conformity with these provisions is evidenced by the CE marking.

Council Directive 92/59/EEC of 29 June 1992 (3) on product safety applies in general to all products
except where specific rules of Community law contain provisions governing certain aspects of product
safety or categories of risks for the products concerned. In this case, it is those provisions which apply to
the products concerned with regard to the relevant safety aspects or risks.

Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 (4) relating to the type-approval of motor vehicles
covers aspects of the construction of motor vehicles from the angle of road safety. With regard to trailers
in particular, none of the individual directives adopted to implement Directive 70/156/EEC deal with
electrical safety, with the exception of the Directive on electromagnetic compatibility when it comes to
electronic brake control devices.

Directive 70/156/EEC grants no exemptions from the application of other Community provisions like
Directive 73/23/EC relating to electrical equipment or Directive 92/59/EC for other applications or other
risks.

In the case of accidents due to non-compliance with Directive 73/23/EEC or Directive 92/59/EC, it is up to
experts and the competent courts to establish liability.

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The Member States are responsible for the practical application of the Directives (and Directive 93/68/EC
in particular). They have to set up the administrative and technical procedures required to ensure that
Community legislation is correctly applied.

The Commission will take the appropriate measures bestowed upon it by the EC Treaty, should it emerge
that Community legislation has not been correctly applied.

(1) Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to

electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits, OJ L 77, 26.3.1973.

(2) Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 amending Directives 87/404/EEC (simple pressure vessels), 88/378/
EEC (safety of toys), 89/106/EEC (construction products), 89/336/EEC (electromagnetic compatibility), 89/392/EEC
(machinery), 89/686/EEC (personal protective equipment), 90/384/EEC (non-automatic weighing instruments), 90/
385/EEC (active implantable medicinal devices), 90/396/EEC (appliances burning gaseous fuels), 91/263/EEC
(telecommunications terminal equipment), 92/42/EEC (new hot-water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fuels) and
73/23/EEC (electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits), OJ L 220, 30.8.1993.

(3) Council Directive 92/59/EEC of 29 June 1992 on general product safety, OJ L 228, 11.8.1992.
(4) Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating

to the type-approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, OJ L 42, 23.2.1970.

(2004/C 65 E/235)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2814/03

by Elisabeth Jeggle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2003)

Subject: Charges for bank transfers between Germany and the United Kingdom

On 1 July 2003, in Germany at least, an EU measure was introduced making the cost of bank transfers to
another EU country the same as that of domestic transfers. This is intended to save customers money.

A German citizen transferred EUR 50 to the United Kingdom and paid a EUR 3 charge to the German
bank and a further GBP 10 to Alliance and Leicester International.

Prior to 1 July 2003, the citizen paid a total of only EUR 7,50 for the transfer of EUR 50.

This raises the following questions:

1.

Is it possible that the UK has not introduced this EU regulation, or is it getting round it by using the
term ‘handling charge’ in place of ‘transfer charge’?

2.

Is a ‘handling fee’ of GBP 10 for the transfer of a small sum not a case of daylight robbery?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2003)

As a general remark, the principle of the equality of charges for cross-border and corresponding
1.
national transfers, which is the subject of this question, is based on Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2001 on cross-border payments in euro (1).
Given that the provisions of the Regulation are directly applicable in the Member States, there is no need
for transposition by the Member States. The banks concerned are already bound by the provisions of the
Regulation.