Subject: Appointment of senior staff in the European Commission β medical service. In its resolution of 1 July on safety and hygiene at work the European Parliament recognises that occupational medicine is practised in occupational health services in companies and in the work of occupational physicians.
In its Recommendation of 20 July on company medical services 1 the Commission calls on the Member States to officially recognise occupational medicine in enterprises, emphasising that these services should preferably be headed, wherever possible, by full-time occupational physicians. Can the Commission say why it saw fit to ignore the fundamental principles of the ILO recommendation, Parliament's resolution and its own recommendation to the Member States, by appointing an official with no medical knowledge as head of its medical service?
Does the Commission not consider that decisions of this kind may severely harm its credibility in the eyes of the other institutions and European citizens? Contrary to what the Honourable Member appears to have been led to believe by the information at his disposal, the Commission does not disregard any of its own recommendations to the Member States on the importance of occupational health services.
After the previous head of the Medical Service in Brussels retired, the Commission decision in was taken specifically for the purpose of reinforcing its Medical Service in Brussels by giving greater attention to the management of this service through the appointment of two members of staff to lead it.
The post of Unit Head was entrusted to an administrator with proven management experience and a new function of Medical Adviser β with full responsibility for the medical aspects of the service β was created.
