WRITTEN QUESTION E-2061/02

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(11 July 2002)

Subject: Controls on food products

What is the Commission doing to put pressure on Member States to ensure tighter controls on food products which enter from outside the EU, in particular in relation to meat, in order to ensure we do not see a recurrence of a disease such as Foot and Mouth?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 September 2002)

With reference to the question raised by the Honourable Member, the Commission wishes to refer to the provisions of Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from third countries(1), and 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(2).

The current legal situation is to be described as follows:

- Council Directive 72/462/EEC lays down the specific animal and public health conditions for the importation of meat and meat products. Under these conditions, importation of meat and meat products is allowed only from third countries listed in Council Decision 79/542/EEC.

- In accordance with Directive 97/78/EC all products of animal origin imported from third countries are subject to veterinary controls at approved Border Inspection Posts (BIPs). The documentary, identity and physical checks at BIPs are necessary to verify compliance with the aforementioned Community animal and/or public health import requirements.

- There are currently 287 BIPs approved, to which commercial consignments must be presented. However there are many more ports of entry into the Union where travellers arrive from third countries or small consignments pass through in parcels.

- Currently Directives 72/462/EEC and 97/78/EC do not apply to meat and meat products forming part of travellers' personal luggage and intended for their personal consumption or sent as small packages to private persons, in so far as the amount or quantity transported or sent does not exceed one kilogram per person or parcel, and provided that the meat or the meat products either come from a third country from where such imports are not prohibited and which is positively listed in accordance with Community legislation, or have undergone a specified heat treatment, sufficient to destroy pathogens.

Following the experience with foot and mouth disease in certain Member States in 2001, in line with the recommendations of the International Conference on the Prevention and Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease held in Brussels in December 2001 and taking into account the Resolutions of the Parliament of 5 April 2001 and 13 June 2002 on controls at external borders, the Commission has prepared and discussed with Member States a draft Regulation on interim protective measures with regard to controls of travellers' luggage.

These interim measures, which will be proposed in the near future, are intended to substitute the derogations referred to above (fourth indent) by a positive list of commodities which may be carried by travellers or sent in parcels without being subject to animal health import conditions and veterinary controls.

In the above-mentioned proposals for interim protective measures, the Commission also requires the competent authorities and international transport operators to provide information to travellers on the risks associated with products of animal origin, if such products were not subjected to veterinary checks.

At the same time the message must be conveyed to the public that the implementation and enforcement by Member States of the envisaged measures will not prohibit the non-commercial introduction of products of animal origin, if these products are presented for veterinary checks in accordance with Community legislation.

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972.

(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998.