§ 42. Mr. Simon CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on progress on harmonisation of inspection rules for fairground equipment throughout the European Community.
§ Mr. NichollsThe European Commission is currently preparing a proposal for a directive concerning trade in fairground equipment. The work is at an early stage but it seems likely that the proposal will cover the design, manufacture and initial testing of fairground equipment. It may also cover the installation and erection of212W fairground equipment as well as the systems of examination and testing which should be used. European Commission staff have indicated that a proposal for such a directive will be submitted to the Council of Ministers within about 12 months.
In anticipation of this directive, CEN (the European standards making organisation) has established a technical committee to prepare harmonised European standards for fairground equipment. These technical standards would support the directive by showing how its requirements could be met.