Brussels, 14/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption (codecision, second reading) of the report by Helle Thorning-Schmidt (EPP-E) on a Council common position adopted on 29 November 2001 concerning the directive on the protection of workers exposed to certain physical agents (noise), the European Parliament strengthened the Council's common position by: - doing away with the weekly level of exposure to noise; - changing the maximum exposure limits triggering off action, namely: 83dB(A), compared to 85dB(A) in the common position, and 112 Pa2, compared to 200 Pa2; - calling on the Commission, on the basis of the report that it will present to the Council and Parliament on the implications that the directive will have on the music and leisure sectors, to submit a proposal aimed at excluding these sectors from the scope of the directive, or regulating them by different means.
The harmful effect of noise is recognised by all, but some, like the rapporteur, Danish Social Democrat Helle Thorning-Schmidt, would like to insist on prevention, while others do not wish to go this far. One of the most controversial points, that of activities in the music and leisure sector, was resolved with a compromise, which amounts to excluding this sector from the scope of the directive for five years. Supported by the rapporteur, by Bartho Pronk for the EPP-ED, and by Elizabeth Lynne for the Liberal Group, the amendment, however, gives rise to "firm opposition" from the European Commission. This is confirmed by Anna Diamantopoulou, who recalls that the sector concerns 3 to 5 million workers in the Union. According to a study carried out in five countries (Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands and Portugal), compensation for loss of hearing accounts for EUR 96 billion annually. Ms Diamantopoulou announced that the Commission is to develop two other directives, on electronic fields and light rays. Backing the rapporteur's position, British Labour member Stephen Hughes drew on his personal experience. "My father", he said, "cannot talk with my child because of industrially caused hearing loss".