92003E0092

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0092/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: Programmes of assessment of buildings vulnerable to earthquakes

In San Giuliano di Puglia (Italy -31 October 2002) a recently modified school building collapsed in a moderate sized earthquake resulting in the death of 27 occupants (25 of them schoolchildren). According to the European Association of Earthquake Engineering this is not an isolated incident. Similar incidents could happen in many European countries; however, the problem is preventable and the risk can be substantially reduced by a programme of expert assessment of the older and more vulnerable existing structures and a programme of strengthening works in the highest-risk areas. The rules for the assessment and strengthening of structures are available in the European Standard, Part 1-4 of Eurocode 8, prEN 1998-3.

In the interest of preventing further loss of life and considering that in many Member States there is excessive earthquake activity, could the Commission formulate a directive requiring the Member States to establish programmes of assessment (according to the above-mentioned European Standard) of all buildings and structures in areas known to be prone to damaging earthquakes and of strengthening the ones which are found to be inadequate?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2003)

The Commission deeply regrets the loss of human lives and the damages caused to the population of San Giuliano di Puglia.

At this stage, the Commission does not envisage any specific proposal for legislation in the field of earthquake mitigation.

However, the current action programme in the field of civil protection established by Council decision 1999/847/EC(1) foresees to develop initiatives in the fields of risk management methodologies, including risk mapping, for seism and other disasters. In that context, a call for proposal shall be published in the first half of 2003.

Moreover, the Commission will adopt a communication by May 2003 that will present new concrete measures to improve public safety in the context of natural and man-made hazards. The Parliament will be invited to a meeting planned for 28 February 2003 to discuss these measures, jointly with the Commission as well as the concerned stakeholders.

The above mentioned two initiatives should contribute to the establishment of assessment programmes for identifying vulnerable structures in earthquake prone areas.

(1) 1999/847/EC: Council Decision of 9 December 1999 establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection, OJ L 327, 21.12.1999.