WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2604/97 by Carles-Alfred GASOLIBA I BÖHM to the Commission. Illegal beef imports
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, GASOLIBA I BOEHM
Subjects: United Kingdom, administrative transparency, animal disease, beef, consumer information, control of communications, export monitoring, illicit trade, market prices, sanction (EU)

C 102/62

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

(98/C 102/90)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2604/97

by Carles-Alfred Gaso‘liba i Bo¤hm (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Illegal beef imports

In view of the partial, erroneous and biased information provided by the Commission in the first week of July
concerning illegal imports of British beef reportedly sold on the Spanish market, and given that, although these
allegations  were  subsequently  refuted,  they  were  nevertheless  highly  damaging  to  beef  production  and
consumption in Spain:

1.  How does the Commission intend to compensate Spanish livestock farmers and traders who have suffered

serious losses as a result of this information?

2.  What specific steps does the Commission intend to take to restore consumer confidence in the meat markets

that have suffered as a result of its statements?

3.  Did the Commission give any thought to all the repercussions that might ensue as a result of such partial,
erroneous and biased information? Does it agree that in future it should be more careful about disseminating
unsubstantiated information which can seriously damage key economic sectors in the European Union?

(98/C 102/91)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2605/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) and Juan Colino Salamanca (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Statements by a Member of the Commission on the British beef market

Speaking to the media on 2 July 1997, Commissioner Emma Bonino stated that British beef had been illegally
exported to some EU Member States.

On 3 July 1997 the Commission declared that no such illegal British beef had been distributed on the Spanish
market.

Who will shoulder responsibility in the Commission for having caused the serious risk of a collapse in the meat
markets of several European Union Member States?

Who will shoulder responsibility in the Commission for having caused alarm among consumers as a result of
statements that were later rectified or toned down?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2576/97, E-2577/97, E-2578/97, E-2603/97, E-2604/97 and E-2605/97
given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(14 October 1997)

On 2 July 1997, the Commission notified the discovery of a fraud involving British meat illegally shipped to
other Member States and to third countries.

True to its policy of transparency, and in compliance with the undertakings given to Parliament, the Commission
has kept Parliament and the Member States abreast of all developments in this affair.

Initially, a Spanish firm, with the same name as a firm established in Guinea Bissau, was wrongly accused.

Subsequently, however, another Spanish firm was identified as having received 200 tonnes of meat from one of
the  offending  Belgian  firms.  The  Spanish  authorities  were  informed  by  the  Commission  and  are  currently
investigating the matter.

The  Commission  is  aware  that  certain  information  may  have  repercussions  on  the  meat  market,  but  it  gives
priority to informing consumers as required by the principle of transparency.