EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/917

(2004/C 78 E/0970)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0029/04

by Heinz Kindermann (PSE) to the Commission

(9 January 2004)

Subject: Closure of veterinary border control point at Pomellen, Germany

According to a Commission consultation document, the veterinary border control point at Pomellen in Germany is one of those to be taken off the list of authorised EU veterinary border control points when enlargement occurs (i.e. in principle on 1 May 2004). Four months before enlargement, however, the Commission has yet to provide any official information concerning the future of veterinary control points at the borders with the accession countries. However, the operating authorities — in this case the administrative district of Uecker-Randow — require definite information in order to put an end to the uncertainty affecting their planning.

The EU has granted the 10 accession countries wide-ranging transitional arrangements in the veterinary and food sector (slaughterhouses, milk producers, etc.) on condition that their non-EU-compliant products are marketed only in the relevant accession country and do not therefore enter the internal market.

1. Can the Commission say definitely when the veterinary border control point at Pomellen will lose its EU authorisation and thereby its responsibility for veterinary checks at the border?

2. In the event of closure, must the EU funding provided to build the veterinary border control point be repaid, even if the closure is the result of an EU decision?

3. How does the Commission intend to ensure that non-EU-compliant products do not enter the EU's internal market? Is it possible to maintain veterinary checks at the borders with the future Member States for the duration of the transitional arrangements?

4. Does the Commission consider that there is a need to maintain the veterinary border control point at the internal customs office at Pomellen in the context of the draft regulation concerning the future official checks on consignments of food and feed before they enter the territory of a Member State, i.e. Germany?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2004)

The Commission signalled its intentions concerning border inspection posts in Applicant Countries in the consultation document recently placed on the Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection web site. Based upon the annex to the consultation document, the Commission has drawn up a draft Commission Decision ‘adapting Commission Decision 2001/881/EC (1) as regards additions and deletions to the list of border inspection posts in view of the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia’. This draft Decision adds certain new border inspection posts in Applicant Countries and deletes certain others in Germany, Italy and Austria. Pommellen is amongst those that are to be deleted. The Decision, once adopted, will come into effect on 1 May 2004 for both additions and deletions.

Funding was provided to the veterinary border control point at Pomellen under Commission Decision 94/83/EC (2), which itself is not affected by the closure of this border control point.

The Commission is working on two measures concerning controls in the enlarged single market. One concerns the marketing of products that will be in stock at accession, and the other concerns products coming from establishments in transition. This will ensure that products from these establishments in any applicant country are clearly identified as being authorised to remain only on the market of the applicant country in which the establishment of origin is situated.

The draft regulation on official food and feed controls does not aim at modifying the regime of veterinary checks carried out on products of animal origin imported from third countries and examined pursuant to Directive 97/78/EC (3).

Furthermore, the Commission does not see any need to maintain veterinary controls at internal EU borders after accession as this would be contrary to the veterinary acquis as laid down in Directives 89/662/EEC (4) for products, and 90/425/EEC (5) for live animals.

(1) Commission Decision 2001/881/EC of 7 December 2001 drawing up a list of border inspection posts agreed for veterinary checks on animals and animal products from third countries and updating the detailed rules concerning the checks to be carried out by the experts of the Commission, OJ L 326, 11.12.2001.

(2) Commission Decision 94/83/EC of 2 February 1994 on Community financial assistance to improve the system of veterinary controls at the Community's external frontier in Germany, OJ L 42, 15.2.1994.

(3) Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries, OJ L 24, 30.1.1998.

(4) Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market, OJ L 395, 30.12.1989.

(5) Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zoo-technical checks applicable in intraCommunity trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market, OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.