Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-16-Speech-2-223"
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"en.20010116.11.2-223"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Commission is well aware that people have died and been injured as a consequence of fires – a fact it deeply regrets – and we express our sympathy to the relatives of the victims. The Commission also regrets the environmental and economic damage caused by fires. This issue is particularly important in the present situation in view of the fires which occurred at Christmas in the Netherlands and in China and in which many young people died.
The Commission believes that it is very important to coordinate fire safety issues. Improved fire safety within the Community, especially fire prevention, is a high-priority issue in the programme of Community measures in favour of civil protection
I can also tell you that the construction division of the Directorate-General for Enterprise has recently initiated an investigation into fire safety in the European Union in relation to buildings under construction. This investigation is aimed at improving the harmonisation of building standards so that buildings throughout the Union might fulfil the same safety requirements. The building products directive lays down essential requirements for all types of construction, including tunnels.
In close cooperation with the Member States, the Commission is also assessing the consequences of the Council’s recommendation on fire safety in existing hotels. In this area, the Commission plans to submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council during the first half of this year.
It should also be borne in mind that the Member States can establish their own safety requirements and that fire prevention measures mainly come within the Member States’ area of competence. Nevertheless, this is an all-embracing problem of which Community policy takes account in a variety of areas with a view to complementing measures adopted in the Member States. There may still be certain weaknesses when it comes to coordinating fire safety issues. In order to get to grips with this problem and improve coordination, my own Directorate-General’s civil protection division, together with the competent divisions in the areas of industry, health and consumer protection, set up a working party last October including representatives of different branches of the emergency services."@en1
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