WRITTEN QUESTION E-4075/03 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Contracts of doctors working for the Greek Electricity Board (DEI).
Date: 2004-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, Greece, electrical energy, equal treatment, part-time employment, physician, public sector, work contract

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/145

(2004/C 84 E/0183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4075/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(14 January 2004)

Subject: Contracts of doctors working for the Greek Electricity Board (DEI)

The Commission recently received a complaint from doctors working for the Greek Electricity Board (DEI)
about the terms they are obliged to accept in order to work for this organisation. These doctors who are
specialists in various fields worked for many years with ‘contracts for the provision of independent
services’; after court rulings these have now been converted into ‘contracts for part-time dependent
employment for an unlimited duration’. However, according to the conditions of the new contract
provided by the DEI, they are not covered by the same DEI arrangements as regular and other staff and are
excluded from pay increases due to promotions and from allowances, Christmas bonuses and other
benefits provided for in Collective Employment Conditions or by law.

Will the Commission say whether the above terms communicated to the doctors by the DEI in respect of
their new employment contract violate the provisions of Directive 97/81 (1) and in particular the principle
of non-discrimination which is defined in Clause 4 and which provides that: ‘In respect of employment
conditions, part-time workers shall not be treated in a less favourable manner than comparable full-time
workers’?

(1) OJ L 14, 20.1.1998, p. 9.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2004)

The written question deals with the issue of whether the Directive on part-time work (1) is breached by the
granting of special contracts without certain additional benefits which are normally given to employees.

Greece has correctly transposed the part-time work Directive by Article 2 of Act No 2369 of 1 September
1998. The Greek legislation applies to the whole private sector and employment relations with public
enterprises and other public sector bodies.

The Commission has not
discrimination principle of the part-time work Directive in Greece.

received any similar

representations as

regards violation of

the non-

Any alleged breach of the afore-mentioned Greek legislation should in the first instance be addressed to the
competent Greek authorities and, in fact, the Commission is aware that the case in question has been
brought before the Greek courts.

(1) Council Directive 97/81/EC of 15 December 1997 concerning the Framework Agreement on part-time work

concluded by UNICE, OJ L 14, 20.1.1998.

(2004/C 84 E/0184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4085/03

by Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 January 2004)

Subject: Practical problems in application of Directive 1999/44/EC

Directive 1999/44/EC (1) of 25 May 1999 on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and associated
guarantees aims to harmonise Member States’ rules on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and