WRITTEN QUESTION E-2751/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Food irradiation

On 21 May 1997 the Member States agreed to approve the irradiation of foodstuffs. The Swedish Government opposed the proposal, but had to be content with a provision that all irradiated food had to be labelled as such. At the time only spices were approved for irradiation in Sweden. The Council decision meant that certain other foodstuffs might be irradiated if it was considered appropriate on technical, commercial or other grounds. The foodstuffs then authorised for irradiation were dried aromatic herbs, vegetable seasonings and all other species.

Before this decision, authorisation in Sweden applied only to spices if there were no other acceptable way of combating salmonella bacteria. Sweden was forced to give ground.

Since 1989 there has been a ban on the import of irradiated foodstuffs into Sweden, and this ban continues to apply apart from the new list. But in the new situation the Swedish negotiators have now become uncertain whether it is legally tenable.

But at the same time the Council decided to call on the Commission to submit a final list of foodstuffs authorised for irradiation, in the next few years and at all events by the end of 2002.

What progress has the Commission made on this list?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2001)

Irradiated foods are regulated by the framework Directive 1999/2/EC of the Parliament and Council of 22 February 1999 on the approximation of the laws of Member States concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation(1), which covers general and technical aspects for carrying out the process, labelling of irradiated foods and conditions for authorising food irradiation, and the implementing Directive 1999/3/EC of the Parliament and Council of 22 February 1999, on the establishment of a Community list of foods and food ingredients authorised for treatment with ionising radiation(3).

Directives 1999/2/EC and 1999/3/EC became applicable on 20 September 2000. Since 20 March 2001, all irradiated foods and food ingredients on the Community market must comply with the provisions of the Directives, including labelling.

During the discussions leading to the adoption of the above-mentioned Directives, the Council and the Parliament agreed only on a single food category to be authorised Community wide for irradiation treatment: dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings (Annex of Directive 1999/3/EC). A requirement was introduced into Directive 1999/2/EC that the Commission should forward a proposal to complete the Community positive list of foodstuffs authorised for irradiation, to be adopted through the co-decision procedure. Meanwhile, Member States can maintain existing national authorisations for irradiation of certain foodstuffs and can continue to apply existing national restrictions or bans in compliance with the EC Treaty.

Before submitting a proposal for a Community positive list to the Council and the Parliament, the Commission started an open discussion with consumer organisations, industry organisations and other interested parties by launching in autumn 2000 a consultation paper on the strategy for drawing up the positive list.

From the comments received, the Commission drew the conclusion that the subject needed broader discussion before a proposal to complete the Community positive list of foodstuffs authorised for irradiation treatment could be developed. Therefore, on 8 August 2001, the Commission adopted a Communication on foods and food ingredients authorised for treatment with ionising radiation in the Community(2) which has been transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council.

(1) OJ L 66, 13.3.1999.

(2) OJ C 241, 29.8.2001.

(3) OJ L 66, 13.3.1999.