WRITTEN QUESTION E-3304/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Subject: Salmonella in meat imported into Sweden

Tests carried out by the Swedish National Food Administration (SNFA) on 72 consignments of meat imported from Member States found that one in eight contained salmonella. For pigmeat the figure was one in four despite the fact that the meat must be guaranteed free of contamination. Of 14 bacteria strains analysed in the contaminated meat, 12 proved to be resistant to one or another antibiotic and two were resistant to six types of antibiotic.

These findings are contained in the SNFA's report Guarantee Project 2000. Of the 72 consignments tested, 29 were beef, 24 pigmeat and 19 poultry. Of the pigmeat, more than one in four consignments proved to contain salmonella, as did two consignments of poultry. Salmonella was most common in pigmeat from Germany. Five of the 10 consignments tested were contaminated despite having undergone checks. The SNFA also examined documents in respect of

532 consignments of meat covered by the salmonella guarantee to ascertain whether they complied with EU rules. In 83 % of cases, the certification was correct. The SNFA concludes that the knowledge that Sweden has special rules for salmonella must be disseminated more effectively, and that salmonella may be found in consignments despite having due certification. One option would be to send back consignments from notorious offenders if certification is missing or incorrect.

The EU must require that 100 % of the meat imported into Sweden has the correct certification. What does the Commission intend to do to ensure that will be the case?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2002)

The Commission would like to point out that the Swedish National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverkets) has not informed the Commission of the Guarantee Project 2000 report to which the Honourable Member's question refers. It would be possible for the Commission to inform Member States of the results of monitoring by the Swedish authorities, if it had full and official information.

The Swedish authorities have good reason, when applying the additional guarantees granted under that country's Act of Accession, to carry out certain checks on consignments of meat received from other Member States, while respecting the provisions of Directive 89/662/EEC(1). In addition to bilateral contacts between the Member States and the Swedish authorities, the latter use the Community's computerised rapid alert system for food to notify the Commission of discoveries of contaminated consignments and the measures taken. The Commission immediately passes the information on to the other Member States. In the case of recurring problems of the same origin, the Commission can ensure an individual follow-up and insist on remedial action. If necessary, the Food and Veterinary Office may be asked to carry out an inspection mission.

The Commission is developing measures to reduce the risk of people contracting salmonellosis from food. On 1 August 2001 it adopted a report and two proposals submitted to the Council and Parliament on the control and prevention of zoonoses(2). The Commission has proposed a regulation which will set Community targets for the reduction of zoonoses in specific animal populations and possibly at other stages in the food chain. Following a transitional period, restrictions will apply to the marketing of eggs and poultry meat.

(1) 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).

(2) COM(2001) 452 final (report); OJ C 304 E, 30.10.2001 (proposals).