WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2372/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Commission. Proposals for an EU ban on hormone-treated meat
Date: 1997-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: European Union, World Trade Organisation, animal production, health legislation, health risk, hormone, import restriction, meat

17. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 82/65

As  part  of  the  Community(cid:146)s  regional  policy,  there  are  also  a  certain  number  of  aid  schemes  aimed  at  small
enterprises  and  craft  enterprises,  provided  that  these  are  located  in  regions  which  are  eligible  for  regional
development funds.

(1)  Doc COM(96) 591.

(98/C 82/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2372/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Proposals for an EU ban on hormone-treated meat

The European Farmers(cid:146) Coordination (EFC) has called on the EU to ban hormone-treated meat and campaign for
an  international  ban.  The  World  Trade  Organization  is  currently  dealing  with  this  issue  and  an  international
arbitration panel has been set up because of differences of opinion between the EU and the US.

According  to  the  EFC,  (cid:145)neither  farmers  nor  consumers  need  hormones  and  the  principle  of  long-term  health
precaution must prevail(cid:146).

Because recent policy statements from the Commission have indicated that it too believes in the principle of
long-term health precaution, will it work for a ban on hormone-treated meat both in the EU and internationally?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 1997)

The Commission is aware that the European farmers(cid:146)co-ordination is in favour of the maintenance of the ban on
hormone treated meat, both in the Community and for its import from third countries.

In the context of the World trade organization (WTO) panel on hormones in Geneva, the Commission invoked
the precautionary principle in support of its claims, and defended the position that the Community(cid:146)s right to
decide what level of sanitary protection it deems appropriate for its citizen should be fully recognised by the
Sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.

The Honourable Member may rest assured that the Commission will use all the legal means at its disposal in the
appeals procedure at the WTO to defend the present Community legislation.

(98/C 82/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2373/97

by Juan Colino Salamanca (PSE) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Aid to the table olive sector

The table olive sector is at present going through a serious crisis. The high costs of this product › which, apart
from promotional measures, is not the subject of Community aid › cause prices to rise, which in turn leads to a
fall in consumption and a loss of competitiveness for Community production compared with third countries.

The Commission options paper on the reform of the olive oil sector COM(97) 57 final mentions the seriousness
of the situation the what the sector expects from the reform.

Does the Commission intend to take steps to ensure the survival of this truly European product?

Has it considered the possibility of granting a specific form of aid, as requested by producers, which does not
come into conflict with the olive oil sector?