WRITTEN QUESTION E-3980/00

by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Subject: European comparison of job descriptions and training of health and hygiene inspectors

A particularly important factor in ensuring consumer protection throughout Europe is the implementation and monitoring of European and national rules, as the awful cases of BSE have demonstrated once again. The training of those groups of individuals who are responsible for carrying out checks, by taking samples for example, is an especially important aspect of this process. As far as I am aware, the job descriptions of such individuals vary widely from one Member State to another.

Which groups are responsible in the individual Member States for carrying out such checks and taking samples on the spot, for example, in respect of

- the bathing water directive,

- the directive on water for human consumption, and

- the provisions on hygiene under food legislation?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 March 2001)

The principles for the performance of official controls of foodstuffs are laid down in a number of Directives. In a general way, Council Directives 89/397/EEC of 14 June 1989, on the official control of foodstuffs(1) and 93/99/EEC of 29 October 1993, on the subject of additional measures concerning official controls of foodstuffs(2), apply. The basic principle of these Directives is that Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities have, or have access to, a sufficient number of suitably qualified and experienced staff, in particular in areas such as chemistry, food chemistry, veterinary medicine, food microbiology, food hygiene, food technology and law, so that the controls can be carried out adequately.

Food of animal origin such as meat, milk, dairy products, fishery products shall be controlled by the authority of the Member States responsible for carrying out veterinary checks or by any authority to which it has been delegated. Meat in particular shall be submitted to ante- and post-mortem inspections by veterinarians, possibly assisted by qualified auxiliaries. In as far as the occupation of veterinary surgeon is concerned, Directive 78/1026/EEC(3) applies: minimum co-ordination of training allowing automatic recognition of diplomas for veterinary surgeons without definition of their field of activity.

Most other professions are covered by the General System for the recognition of diplomas under directives 89/48/EEC and 92/51/EEC(4). These Directives allow Member States to maintain their own standards and to require migrants to make up for any substantial differences in education and training through an aptitude test or period of supervised practice.

The Commission intends, as announced in the White Paper on Food Safety(5), to submit to the Parliament and the Council a proposal on official feed and food controls.

This proposal will establish a Community framework for official controls on all feed and food safety aspects along the feed and food chain by:

- merging and completing existing rules for national controls and inspections within the Community, at the external borders of the Community and in third countries,

- integrating existing monitoring and surveillance systems so as to establish a comprehensive and effective food safety monitoring and surveillance system from farm to table,

- establishing a framework for organising annual programmes for controls of feed and food,

- merging existing rules on mutual assistance and administrative co-operation.

It is also intended to integrate within this proposal the operational criteria for authorities that are in charge of performing official controls. This proposal will therefore improve on existing Directives, by defining the qualifications of feed and food controlling authorities.

On drinking water, the 1998 Drinking Water Directive(6) sets quality standards for drinking water and for requirements for monitoring, as well as requirements for the analytical quality control. Of particular importance in the context raised are the provisions on analytical quality control. Laboratories at which samples are analysed have to have a system of analytical quality control to be checked by a certified person or institution approved by the responsible authority for that purpose. Member States have the binding and enforceable obligation to implement these provisions, whilst at the same time they have the choice as regards the organisation (central, regional or local approach). As a conclusion the Directive sets the targets to be achieved, but leaves the way to achieve these to Member States.

On bathing water, the 1976 Bathing Water Directive(7) has achieved considerable improvements in the quality of bathing waters. However, it is now outdated both as regards science and technology and managerial approach. Inter alia, provisions on sampling and quality assurance are vague.

Consequently the Commission has started a thorough review process along the same lines as the recently adopted Water Framework Directive(8), i.e. Communication Consultation with stakeholders Conference Legislative Proposal. As a first step, the Commission has adopted on 21 December 2000 a Communication to Parliament and Council Developing a New Bathing Water Policy(9).

Principal elements of a new Directive will be legally binding quality values aiming at a high level of protection, coherence with the new Water Framework Directive, information and participation of the public, as well as quality management and quality assurance supporting those objectives.

(1) OJ L 186, 30.6.1989.

(2) OJ L 290, 24.11.1993.

(3) OJ L 362, 23.12.1978.

(4) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989 and OJ L 209 of 24.7.1992.

(5) COM(1999) 719 final.

(6) Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3.11.1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption (OJ L 330, 5.12.1998).

(7) Council Directive 76/160/EEC of 8 December 1975 concerning the quality of bathing water (OJ L 31, 5.2.1976).

(8) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23.10.2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (OJ L 327, 22.12.2000).

(9) COM(2000) 860 final.