WRITTEN QUESTION P-2618/03

by Ole Sørensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 August 2003)

Subject: Urgent alert from the Commission concerning salmonella in Danish pigmeat

In connection with a current outbreak of salmonella in Sweden, the Swedish authorities have been investigating pigmeat from the Danish abattoir of TiCan as a possible source of infection. This led the Commission (Directorate for Health and Consumer Protection) to issue an urgent alert notification concerning products from TiCan.

I fully recognise the value of rapid and resolute action in cases such as these, which concern citizens' health and the quality of foodstuffs. At the same time, in the light of the very serious PR and economic consequences this negative publicity has for the TiCan abattoir, this course of events gives rise to a number of questions:

1. What checks did the Commission carry out to verify the facts of the matter before issuing an urgent alert concerning products from TiCan? For example, the Commission warns against type DT 108 salmonella in TiCan's products. It subsequently appeared that the salmonella type which had been found in Sweden was actually DT 170.

2. What measures did the Commission take to investigate the possibility that the salmonella in the infected kebab derived from other sources than TiCan products? Were isolated samples taken from products from TiCan or is the whole affair based on samples from the prepared kebab? Had the unprocessed products from TiCan undergone further processing which could have been the cause of the salmonella outbreak? Has it been shown that the meat products were kept in the restaurants and had been repackaged and sent on by the wholesalers under proper hygienic conditions?

3. As we know, Sweden is not involved in EU cooperation concerning foodstuffs checks in this area. In the case of Danish pigmeat exporters such as TiCan, this means that some 60 samples per batch of meat are taken for analysis. This intensive checking procedure results in the fresh pigmeat having to be kept an extra 3 days before being exported to Sweden. At the same time it is clear that falling pig prices have placed Swedish pig producers in a difficult situation as regards competition. What is the Commission's view on the extent to which the Swedish authorities' actions were based on health rather than on competitive considerations?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 2003)

By virtue of Article 50 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002(1), the Commission is under an obligation to transmit rapid alert system notifications it receives from Member States, duly verified by them on the basis of the information at their disposal, if it has been established that there is a risk to human health.

The details of these notifications (including the identity of the producing companies) are reserved for the official control authorities. The public has no access to information on companies and brand names.

The notifications refer to the product lots concerned and not to the company's entire production, which puts the authorities in a position to take the appropriate steps to withdraw the lots concerned.

In the case of all notifications, the Member States are required to notify any developments or additional information via the rapid alert system. In the case in point, the Swedish authorities are still in the process of clarifying the situation, and all developments are immediately passed on to the authorities in all Member States.

Trade in fresh pork meat destined for Sweden is subject to additional guarantees in respect of salmonella granted at the time of Sweden's accession to the Union. Finland benefited from identical additional guarantees. Under the Community provisions applying to salmonella in respect of consignments of fresh pork meat destined for Sweden and Finland(2) the goods are certified as having been found free of salmonella in tests on the consignment concerned in the forwarding country, performed in accordance with a defined sampling and test protocol. This protocol gives a degree of reliability considered to be similar to that under the national legislation.

Sweden and Finland were granted the additional guarantees on the grounds of the low prevalence of salmonella and strict controls in force there. In the Commission's view, these guarantees are based solely on health considerations.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety, OJ L 31, 1.2.2002.

(2) Council Decision 95/409/EC of 22 June 1995 laying down the rules for the microbiological testing by sampling of fresh beef and veal and pigmeat intended for Finland and Sweden, OJ L 243, 11.10.1995, as amended by Council Decision 98/227/EC of 16 March 1998, OJ L 87, 21.3.1998.