WRITTEN QUESTION E-1079/00 by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission. Professional recognition of dental technicians.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/207 (2000/C 374 E/244) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1079/00 by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission Subject: Professional recognition of dental technicians (7 April 2000) In view of the professionalism required to practise as a dental technician and the fact that in many EU Member States such technicians have already been granted professional status, can the Commission say what steps the Italian Government has taken to recognise the profession of dental technician? Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (12 May 2000) The Commission has no information on the steps mentioned by the Honourable Member. Since the profession of dental technician has not, in fact, been subject to any Community harmonisation, the Member States alone remain responsible for granting official status to, and regulating, this profession (conditions governing training, access to and pursuit of the profession). Furthermore, Council Directives 89/48/EEC of 21 December 1988 (1) and 92/51/EEC of 18 June 1992 (2) on the general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas, which can be applied to recognition among Member States of qualifications obtained by dental technicians, do not impose any obligations on the Commission to carry out detailed studies into all the professions to which these Directives may apply. In this context, the Commission would draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the fact that the profession of dental technician (áodontotecnicoí) is already regulated in Italy, as it has been included for Italy in the list in Annex C of Directive 92/51/EEC. (1) OJ L 19, 24. 1. 1989. (2) OJ L 209, 24. 7. 1992. (2000/C 374 E/245) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1106/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (7 April 2000) Subject: The Spanish Governmentís failure to comply with Law No 31 of 8 November 1995 on the prevention of hazards at work Council Directive 89/391/EEC (1) on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work was transposed by the Spanish Government in Law No 31/95 of 8 November 1995 on the prevention of hazards at work. One of the obligations laid down in the law is that the health committee of any firm with more than 100 employees should consist of four members appointed by the trade union and four others appointed by the authorities. However, in Pontevedra, Galicia, which has more than 100 employees, does not comply with this requirement, since the health committee does not have any members appointed by the authorities, which adversely affects its efficiency. As a result the officials appointed by the trade union complained to the Director of the prison, the Director-General for Prisons, the Ministry for the Civil Service and the Ombudsman, without managing to obtain a solution to the problem. the prison of A Lama, In view of this failure to fulfil obligations, what steps will the Commission take to ensure Spanish central governmentís compliance with laws such as the aforementioned Directive and remedy this current form of discrimination? (1) OJ L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1