WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3964/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Discovery of networks marketing suspect meat
Date: 1997-12-05
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: cattle, health control, health risk, human nutrition, infectious disease, marketing, public health

C 174/158

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

The communication also proposes cooperation to help the Turkish government enforce international conventions
on  human  rights  and  apply  the  relevant  domestic  legislation.  The  Turkish  authorities  have  already  officially
notified the Commission of their readiness to cooperate in this field. Bilateral discussions for the identification of
projects will begin shortly.

(1)  COM(97) 2000 final.
(2)  COM (97) 394 final.

(98/C 174/235)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3964/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(5 December 1997)

Subject: Discovery of networks marketing suspect meat

According  to  information  submitted  by  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  concerning  its  actions
relating to the trade in meat infected with (cid:145)mad cow disease(cid:146), some German undertakings have been involved in
the whole business without any direct and radical measures apparently being taken against them.

It should also be noted that the Belgian undertaking (cid:145)TRAGEX › GEL(cid:146) was operating since November 1996
without any official authorization, despite repeated warnings from the Commission to the Belgian authorities.
This alarming revelation means that this undertaking must have been supplying its customers with unscreened
meat for over six months.

Will the Commission say which controlling authority (UCLAF or other) has a list of customers of the Belgian,
British and other undertakings involved in the networks marketing the suspect meat (which I would ask it to
forward to me) and whether it has undertaken any detailed research into the role played by German undertakings
in  connection  with  the  marketing  of  suspect  meat  in  Community  or  other  countries  and,  if  so,  what  are  its
conclusions?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission

(13 January 1998)

All cases of illegal traffic of British meat are currently under investigation by the national authorities in Belgium,
Germany, France, Ireland and the Netherlands and, of course, the United Kingdom. Judicial inquiries have been
undertaken in Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands. According to the knowledge of the Commission,
the meat involved in this illegal traffic was eligible to be placed on the market in the United Kingdom.

As far as the company TRAGEX › GEL is concerned, it has been operating without the necessary administrative
approval, but under veterinary supervision.

The Commission is not in possession of a list of customers of the companies involved in connection with the
traffic. The vast majority of the quantity concerned has been traced as being exported to third countries with
refunds. The relevant third countries have been informed of this.

(98/C 174/236)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3965/97

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 December 1997)

Subject: Establishment of an inventory of Greek property in Istanbul with a view to (cid:145)development(cid:146)

The Turkish Ministry of Finance has begun an inventory of all the ancient historic houses in Istanbul whose
owners are considered unknown or cannot be traced with the object of developing these properties.