WRITTEN QUESTION E-0887/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 March 2000)

Subject: Assessment of the dioxin crisis in Belgium

The dioxin crisis in Belgium once again demonstrated how vulnerable the food chain, and checks on it, are. An assessment such as that made by the Dioxin Committee of the Chamber of Representatives can help to eliminate problems. Both the European Union and the fifteen Member States have an important role to play in this.

The 14-page final conclusion of the Dioxin Committee contains a number of references to the conduct of the European Union during the dioxin crisis in the Belgian Federation: As regards the composition of feedingstuffs and of contaminants, the European Union does not have a sufficiently effective regulatory framework. The rules on compulsory notification of the EU authorities are inadequate. The EU added to the chaos which marked the development of the crisis.

Does the Commission accept that as regards the composition of feedingstuffs and of contaminants, the European Union does not have a sufficiently effective regulatory framework, as claimed in the report of the Dioxin Committee?

(a) If not, what arguments are there to show that, contrary to the statement by the Dioxin Committee, the EU's regulatory framework for the composition of feedingstuffs and contaminants is effective?

(b) If so, will the Commission amend the regulatory framework for the composition of feedingstuffs and contaminants in order to make it more effective?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 May 2000)

The current Community regulatory framework for feedingstuffs contains in general sufficient requirements to guarantee the safety of feed materials. The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that strict rules are established regarding the marketing and labelling of feed materials and feedingstuffs, the presence in feed of undesirable substances and products, the conditions to be met by feed manufacturers and the controls to be carried out to ensure that the feedingstuffs are safe.

It goes without saying that these requirements have to be properly implemented to be effective, and also that legislation, unless properly implemented, will never prevent all incidents or fraudulent activities affecting the safety of the feed and food chain. Lack of internal controls (good manufacturing practice, own-checks, contingency plans) and lack of mechanisms for traceability allow contamination to develop and expand throughout the whole food chain. It is therefore necessary to set up appropriate requirements and controls allowing for early detection of problems and speedy corrective action. It has become clear that the feed manufacturing and supplying industry should be subjected to more rigorous requirements and controls, including official approval of all feed producing plants. Also the provisions concerning the official controls at national and Community level, the requirements concerning feed materials which can be used in animal nutrition and the limits and controls for undesirable substances need to be reinforced.

This non-exhaustive list of possibilities for improvement of the current legislative framework is now being addressed in the context of the follow-up to the white paper on food safety(1).

(1) COM(1999) 719 final.