WRITTEN QUESTION E-1684/99 by Reino Paasilinna (PSE) to the Commission. Retirement age for fire fighters.
C 170 E/76 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 (2000/C 170 E/085) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1684/99 by Reino Paasilinna (PSE) to the Commission (22 September 1999) Subject: Retirement age for fire fighters The retirement age for fire fighters is 65 in Finland, while in other European countries it is set by each countryís legislation. At the Conference on the Conditions of Employment and Work of Fire-fighting Personnel, which was held in Geneva from 9 to 16 May 1990, the International Labour Organisation recommended a substantial lowering of the retirement age for fire fighters. It is common knowledge that the work of fire fighters is tough and dangerous and it would be justified to follow the ILO recommenda- tion in all EU countries. Does the Commission intend to draw up legislation or, at least, a recommendation concerning lowering the age of retirement for fire fighters in all EU countries? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (26 October 1999) The Commission does not intend to propose any harmonisation of the retirement age for firefighters in the Member States. (2000/C 170 E/086) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1690/99 by Rosa Díez GonzÆlez (PSE) to the Council (20 September 1999) Subject: Death penalty handed down to Spanish citizen Joaquín JosØ Martínez in the US On 2 November 1999 the Supreme Court in the US state of Florida will hear an appeal against the death sentence handed down to Spanish citizen Joaquín JosØ Martínez, an inmate on ádeath rowí at Starke prison in the United States. The defence team for this European citizen has stressed that legal guarantees and the presumption of innocence were ignored in reaching such an unspeakable verdict, which many US states still enforce. Given the urgent nature of this case and the fact that such an inhumane punishment is irreversible: 1. What steps has the Council taken to ensure that a universal moratorium on executions (resolution of 18 June 1998) is honoured and that a punishment which constitutes an affront to the most basic democratic values is abolished once and for all, bearing in mind, inter alia, European Parliament and United Nations resolutions and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights? 2. What action can and will the Council take to prevent the execution of Joaquín JosØ Martínez from going ahead and ensure that he receives a free and fair trial? Reply (2 December 1999) EU action against the use of the death penalty is a key element of the EUís overall human rights 1. policy. In June 1998, the Council adopted guidelines for EU policy towards third countries on the issue of the death penalty. The final objective is a worldwide abolition of the death penalty. With the view of reaching this objective, where the death penalty still exists, the Council calls upon States to introduce a moratorium and insists that minimum standards be respected. It further encourages States to become party to the international legal instruments that prohibit capital punishment