WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1555/97 by Herbert BÖSCH to the Commission. Respect for fundamental workers' and trade union rights in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe
10. 2. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 45/51 (98/C 45/61) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1555/97 by Herbert Bo¤sch (PSE) to the Commission (6 May 1997) Subject: Respect for fundamental workersí and trade union rights in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe We have received information that various companies in Central and Eastern European countries (particularly those of Western origin) insist, when recruiting new staff, that they do not belong to trade unions. This violates fundamental human rights and cannot be tolerated by the authorities in States which wish to join the European Union in the near future. It would be even more devastating if it turned out that such firms received either orders paid for by resources from the PHARE or the JOPP programmes, or subsidized credit from the EBRD, and hence money from pockets of European workers. Is the Commission aware of any cases in countries associated with the European Union in which 1. non-membership of a trade union has been a condition of recruitment? 2. Has it discussed such matters with Central European governments? 3. Has the Commission ensured in the past that companies which violate the human right of freedom of association have not benefited from orders under the PHARE or JOPP programmes and have not received any EBRD subsidies? If not, does it intend finally to take the appropriate preventive measures (possibly in the context of the new 4. PHARE regulation) in the interests of European workers? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (6 June 1997) The Commission is not aware of cases in associated countries where non-membership of a union was a condition of recruitment. Consequently the subject has not been taken up with Central and Eastern European countries. There is no specific clause on compliance with trade-union law in agreements with European businesses under the PHARE programme or for financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The provision of information to workers and their consultation are among the subjects covered by the cooperation procedure with qualified-majority voting, but trade-union law is under the jurisdiction of each of the Member States which › with the exception so far of the United Kingdom › have acceded to the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers adopted in 1989. (98/C 45/62) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1558/97 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (6 May 1997) Subject: Dumping of waste in the River Axios Allegations have been made by Greepeace, many environmental organizations and local bodies that the Chemical Industries of Northern Greece (SICGN) have, since 1995, been systematically dumping phosphogyp- sum over an area of 200 hectares along the former bed of the River Axios in the Commune of Eastern Thessaloniki, which has adversely affected the Axios wetlands, protected under the Ramsar Convention. Over the last few weeks the dumping of this substance has been observed even within the protected area. Studies carried out by the Aristotles University of Thessaloniki show that levels of cadmium are between five and ten times, and levels of arsenic 1000 times, higher than those reported by the industry