WRITTEN QUESTION P-2748/02

by Peter Skinner (PSE) to the Commission

(23 September 2002)

Subject: Illegal importation of meat from Africa

With regard to the use of animals in Africa for bush meat, which is then illegally imported to Europe, can the Commission tell me of any measures that it is able to take in order to stop this illicit trade, thereby reducing the potential hazard of infected meat reaching the European Union?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(25 October 2002)

A number of Community measures are relevant to the issue of illicit bushmeat trade and the associated health risks:

- Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein(1) implements the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) in the Union. Under this Regulation the import of certain species endangered by the bushmeat crisis or parts thereof, like gorillas and chimpanzees, is either completely prohibited or requires import and export documents.

The task of stopping the illegal trade in any CITES-listed species lies mainly with the Member States. Regulation (EC) No 338/97 provides that Member States designate customs offices for carrying out checks and formalities, which shall be provided with sufficient and adequately trained staff. It also contains provisions regarding the monitoring of compliance, the investigation of infringements and sanctions. The Commission can only play a limited role in this respect, e.g. by communicating information or raising the awareness of Member States' authorities.

- Council Directive 92/45/EEC of 16 June 1992 on public health and animal health problems relating to the killing of wild game and the placing on the market of wild-game meat(2) requests that the meat of wild land mammals which is imported for commercial trade has to originate in a country which is explicitly approved for such meat. The meat being sent under the coverage of a veterinary certification issued by the competent authority of the exporting country shall be checked for veterinary purposes on its arrival to the Community border post of entry (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(3)).

In the case of bushmeat sent to or carried by individuals, the Commission is adopting new rules for avoiding the health risk that such traffic poses by requesting re-enforcement of controls at any point of entry into the Community territory. They envisage that travel operators make their passengers aware of the strict conditions for introducing any kind of meat when they enter the Community and that Member States proceed with controls on the passengers' luggage in order to restrict unauthorised meat.

- Finally, in the framework of cooperation efforts in Central African region, the major source of bushmeat in Africa, EUR 70 million have been deployed in support of tropical rainforest conservation over the past 10 years.

The Central African regional programme under the 9th European Development Fund envisages continued assistance to tropical forest conservation and rational management. This assistance will contribute to efforts to eradicate poaching through protection legislation, monitoring and surveillance, community based natural resource management, training and research.

(1) OJ L 61, 3.3.1997.

(2) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992.

(3) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998.