WRITTEN QUESTION P-0734/04 by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Skiing safety and standardisation.
Date: 2004-03-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: consumer protection, sport, sports body, standardisation, tourist infrastructure

C 84 E/446

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

The Commission will carefully analyse the outcome of this work and ongoing scientific advances with a
view to taking appropriate steps to safeguard the health and welfare of animals within the EU.

In addition, it should be noted that programmes for the control and/or eradication of Johne’s disease are in
principle eligible for Community co-financing within the framework of Council Decision 90/424/EEC of
26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1). However, to date, no Member State has submitted
such a programme to the Commission for consideration.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.

(2004/C 84 E/0520)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0728/04

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Ansaldo-Breda: possible monitoring of EU funding

At the meeting last week in Brussels involving trade union delegations and workers from Ansaldo-Breda,
it emerged that the company has benefited from assistance supporting production activities in depressed
areas of Italy, as provided for in Italian Law No 488/92, in the form of EU cofinancing. Specifically,
funding has been made available for work on replacing the company’s roof with eternit (asbestos lumber),
so as to bring the workplace up to European standards in terms of safeguarding and protecting workers.

However, it would not appear that funding was requested to provide environmental protection for the
surrounding area, despite the presence of an important acquifer in the vicinity of the establishment.

In view of the above, can the Commission state:

1. Whether Ansaldo-Breda has received funding and, if so, what kind?

2. What instruments can be adopted to check whether any funding awarded to Ansaldo-Breda has

actually been used?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 2004)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2004/C 84 E/0521)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0734/04

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 March 2004)

Subject: Skiing safety and standardisation

Is the Commission aware that the grading of green, blue, red and black on ski-runs in different resorts and
different countries can vary considerably?

Is the Commission concerned that such variation can not only be misleading to consumers, but may also
constitute a safety risk to skiers who could find themselves on runs that are beyond their abilities?

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/447

Will the Commission agree to look at this issue, with a view to considering some form of standardisation?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2004)

The Commission is aware of differences in the grading of green, blue, red and black ski runs in different
European countries and between different skiing areas. The colour grading is in most cases based on
recommendations from the relevant national organisations, including the skiing federations and the cable
lift organisations in the ski centres. According to the representatives of the relevant organisations, the
grading in different countries does not vary significantly. Black ski runs are the most difficult ones, and the
grading is based on the average steepness of the run as a percentage and/or in degrees, as well as the
general characteristics of the run including width and curves. The exact borderline between the categories
differs to some degree in the different guidelines, so that for example some red runs in one country might
have been black in another country. The issue of further harmonisation of the exact borderlines based on
safety concerns has not been discussed in the relevant organisations since grading of runs is not reported
to have been a major cause of accidents.

In June 2003, the Commission adopted a general report on the safety of consumer services (1) which was
also submitted to the Parliament. The preliminary report identified tourism and sports and leisure services
(including skiing) as the key sectors for further initiatives at European level. Based on investigations of the
policies and legislation in Member States, the Commission’s conclusion in the report is that there is a
major lack of knowledge about risks in the area and that there is no evidence, at this stage, of distortions
to the internal market which would justify harmonised European legislation. Therefore the Commission
proposes, as a first step, to establish a legal framework in order to improve the knowledge base with
regard to accidents and injuries, to establish a procedure for exchange of information and a procedure for
the development of standards where this is deemed appropriate.

The Council in its Resolution of 1 December 2003 on safety of services for consumers (2) supported the
Commission’s approach in this area. The Commission is now in the process of following up the report,
in particular identifying priorities for action and assessing options. The skiing sector will be considered in
this context.

In the more general field of work on standardisation of services, the Commission recently mandated the
European standardisation organisations
(European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), European
Committee for Electro-technical Standardisation (Cenelec) and European Telecommunications Standards
Institute (ETSI)) to develop a standardisation work programme to support the internal market for services.
including standardisation of safety
These organisations will consider the priorities for standardisation,
issues, and present their work programme to the Commission by the end of 2004.

(1) COM(2003) 313 final.
(2) OJ C 299, 10.12.2003.

(2004/C 84 E/0522)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0769/04

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(5 March 2004)

Subject: Safety of public buildings in areas of high seismic risk

Considering that:

(cid:1) in its Recommendation 2003/887/EC (1) of 11 December 2003 on the implementation and use of
Eurocodes for construction works and structural construction products, the European Commission
calls on Member States to use common codes in the construction and design of building works, based