91999E1922

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1922/99

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 November 1999)

Subject: Fire safety in hotels

An EC Recommendation on Fire Safety in existing hotels (86/666/EEC(1)) was adopted in 1986.

1. What objective assessment has been undertaken of the application of these recommendations by Member States?

2. Is the Commission satisfied that the recommendations are being implemented in full by each of the Member States?

3. Which Member States have modified national legislation to incorporate the recommendations regarding minimum safety standards and periodic inspections?

4. Does the Commission intent to review the need for additional measures to encourage the adoption of minimum standards in both existing and new hotels?

(1) OJ L 384, 31.12.1986, p. 60.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 1999)

1. In order to check that all Member States had correctly interpreted and taken into account in their national legislation the content of Council Recommendation 86/666/EEC of 22 December 1986 on fire safety in existing hotels(1), the Commission commissioned an independent study. The final report was submitted in April 1996.

2. and 3. The Commission has commented on this issue in a number of answers to previous parliamentary questions. The Honourable Member can consult in particular the answers to questions E-1423/97 by Mrs Pollack(2) and H-1179/98 by Mr Watson during Question Time in the January 1999 part-session(3).

Given the interest shown and the degree of detail in the questions asked, the Commission will forward a copy of the 1996 study directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat-General.

This study shows that the principles of the recommendation have in general been incorporated by national legislation. However, the Commission is aware of the concerns expressed, particularly by some Members of Parliament or associations, regarding the practical application of the rules in question and the checks carried out.

4. The Commission fully intends to re-examine the question of fire safety in hotels. To this end, an interdepartmental working group has recently been formed.

In the course of the year 2000, the Commission intends to review the matter once again in order to determine what action needs to be taken. It intends, in this connection, to put the subject on the agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the consumer safety working party, a group of experts which assists the Commission in the area of consumer safety.

(1) OJ L 384, 31.12.1986.

(2) OJ C 45, 10.2.1998.

(3) Debates of the European Parliament (January 1999).