WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3568/97 by Frédéric STRIBY to the Commission. Chronic intoxication of sheep by copper
Date: 1997-11-13
Institutions: European Parliament, STRIBY
Subjects: copper, food contamination, food poisoning, food standard, foodstuffs legislation, metal pollution, sheep, sheepmeat

C 134/174

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

30. 4. 98

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 November 1997)

The obligation to publicise measures part-financed by the Structural Funds, including the European Agricultural
Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), Guidance ection, arises from Article 32 of Council Regulation (EEC)
No 2082/93 on the coordination of the Structural Funds of 20 July 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88
laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities
of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank
and the other existing financial instruments (1).

Commission Decision 94/342/CE of 31 May 1994, concerning information and publicity measures to be carried
out  by  the  Member  States  concerning  assistance  from  the  Structural  Funds  and  the  Financial  Instrument  for
Fisheries  Guidance  (FIFG) (2),  expanded  on  the  obligation  contained  in  Article  32  of  the  above-mentioned
Regulation,  laying  down  standards  for  publicity  and  information  that  all  beneficiaries  of  Structural  Fund
assistance must comply with.

In the case of infrastructure measures, the threshold for compulsory measures is ECU 1 million for the Structural
Funds and ECU 500 000 for the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). The national, regional and
local authorities are responsible for implementing the Commission Decision. Final beneficiaries must comply
with the rules communicated to them by those authorities. To facilitate the task of the authorities concerned, the
Commission  has  prepared  a  practical  guide  for  their  use.  This  guide  has  been  transmitted  to  the  Honourable
Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(1)  OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.
(2)  OJ L 152, 18.6.1994.

(98/C 134/237)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3568/97

by Fre·de·ric Striby (I-EDN) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: Chronic intoxication of sheep by copper

Apparently there are differences between the EU Member States in the number of ppm of copper for intoxication
of sheep to be regarded as chronic.

This has implications regarding, for example, financial compensation in the case of the death of sheep.

Does the Commission have information on the copper levels above which intoxication of sheep is regarded as
chronic in the different Member States? Do such levels apply to levels of copper in the liver, kidneys or blood?

(98/C 134/238)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3569/97

by Fre·de·ric Striby (I-EDN) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: Chronic intoxication of sheep by copper

Are there any European regulations establishing limit values above which intoxication of sheep by copper is
recognised as chronic?

If not, does the Commission not consider it necessary to harmonise limit values so that the level of intoxication
recognised as chronic is the same throughout Europe?