WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2760/97 by Gerhard SCHMID to the Commission. Directive 89/686/EEC * my question of 15 May 1996
16. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 117/61 (98/C 117/75) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2760/97 by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: Directive 89/686/EEC • my question of 15 May 1996 In its answer to my question E-1173/96 of 15 May 1996 (1) the Commission says that fire brigades are not áforces used in the maintenance of law and order’ within the meaning of the above directive. A forthcoming meeting of the Working Party would accordingly be discussing how to assess the fact that Bavaria does classify professional fire services as such forces and is therefore endeavouring to exclude them from the directive. Has the Commission now raised this matter in the Working Party or some other forum? If so, with what result? If not, why not? (1) OJ C 345, 15. 11. 1996, p. 36. Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (16 October 1997) At its meeting on 24 February 1997, the Working Party concerned did indeed discuss the question of whether fire brigades may be considered as forces used in the maintenance of law and order within the meaning of Directive 89/686/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to personal protective equipment (PPE) (1). The experts from the Member States took the view, as expressed in the answer given to the Honourable Member’s written question E-1173/96 (2), that fire brigades cannot be considered as áarmed forcesí or áforces used in the maintenance of law and orderí and that, consequently, the equipment covered by Directive 89/686/EEC and used by fire fighters is not excluded by the Directive. The Commission will therefore take all necessary steps to ensure that the Member States apply the Community law in a uniform manner. The Commission wishes to remind the Honourable Member that Directive 89/686/EEC provides for the free movement of the products it covers and is not concerned with the use made of products already in service. The various fire brigades may therefore continue indefinitely using the equipment they have and to which they are accustomed. (1) Council Directive 89/686/EEC of 21 December 1989 (OJ L 399, 30. 12. 1989), as amended by Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 (OJ L 220, 30. 8. 1993), Council Directive 93/95/EEC of 29 October 1993 (OJ L 276, 9. 11. 1993) and Council and European Parliament Directive 96/58/EC of 3 September 1996 (OJ L 236, 18. 9. 1996). (2) OJ C 345, 15. 11. 1996. (98/C 117/76) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2767/97 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: Protection of consumers from genetically manipulated products Given the discoveries made in recent years as a result of scientific research in the field of genetic engineering and future prospects in this area and in view of the fact that genetic engineering is to a large extent already part of our everyday life, although no reliable methods have yet been developed to assess scientifically the medium and long-term impact of the irreversible release into the atmosphere of genetically manipulated organisms, can the Commission provide the following information: 1. Has a more comprehensive assessment and evaluation been made of the social, economic, ecological, public, health, ethical and legal aspects of new developments in the field of genetic engineering?