WRITTEN QUESTION E-1184/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(12 April 2000)

Subject: Imports of American meat treated with hormones

With reference to the dispute between the EU and the US concerning Europe's ban on imports of meat containing hormone residues, and following the unsuccessful outcome of the WTO Assembly:

1. Can the Commission provide information on the current state of play with regard to this matter?

2. Has the EU submitted scientific proof that treating livestock with hormones can have adverse effects on human health?

3. Can the Commission state the amount of meat imported into the EU from the US in 1999 and tested for hormone residues?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

1. Following the relevant appellate body report (ABR) findings and on the basis of a specific Commission mandate, the scientific committee for veterinary measures relating to public health (SCVPH) has addressed the potential risks to human health from hormone residues on bovine meat and meat products, and unanimously adopted an opinion in April 1999, reviewed on 3 May 2000, that constitutes the latest and most comprehensive assessment of risks from the hormones in question. In addition, the Commission approved and financed 17 scientific studies in early 1998 with the aim of obtaining further information in areas such as toxicology, abusive use and environmental aspects. Several of these studies have still to be completed.

In the light of the recent scientific findings, the Commission adopted on 24 May 2000 a proposal for a Parliament and Council directive to ban definitively the use of oestradiol 17, and maintain the current prohibition on the five other hormones on a provisional basis. The proposal was transmitted to the Council and Parliament.

In April 1999, the results from part of the 17 studies demonstrated that some bovine meat and offal imported from the United States under the hormone free cattle program, implemented by the US in agreement with the Community as an interim rule to respond to the Community legislation, contained residues of hormones and thus did not respect Community rules for import of bovine meat. This report led to the application of specific additional provisions to the import of US beef and offal that are still in place, and led the US to replace the hormone free cattle program with the non-hormone treated cattle program in September 1999.

2. The SCVPH, in its opinion of 30 April 1999, concluded:

- As concerns excess intake of hormone residues and their metabolites, and in view of the intrinsic properties of hormones and epidemiological findings, a risk to the consumer has been identified with different levels of conclusive evidence for the six hormones in question.

- In the case of oestradiol 17 there is a substantial body of recent evidence suggesting that it has to be considered as a complete carcinogen, as it exerts both tumour initiating and tumour promoting effects. The data available do not allow a quantitative estimate of the risk. For the other five hormones, in spite of the individual toxicological and epidemiological data described in the report, the current state of knowledge does not allow a quantitative estimate of the risk.

- For all six hormones endocrine, developmental, immunological, neurobiological, immunotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects could be envisaged. Of the various susceptible risk groups, prepubertal children are the group of greatest concern. Again the available data do not enable a quantitative estimate of the risk.

- In view of the intrinsic properties of the hormones and in consideration of epidemiological findings, no threshold levels can be defined for any of the six substances.

3. In 1999, 4 100 tons of fresh, chilled or frozen beef and offal were imported into the Community from the US. According to Commission Decision 1999/302/EC, of 30 April 1999, 100 % of the consignments of US meat shall be submitted for analysis: two official samples shall be taken from each consignment concerned and examined for residues of each of the xenobiotic hormones mldr.