WRITTEN QUESTION No. 568/98 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. EU ban on the import of meat from hormone- treated animals (ruling of the WTO Appeals Panel)
Date: 1998-03-04
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, consumer protection, hormone, import restriction, meat, scientific research

C 304/116

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

(98/C 304/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0487/98

by Honor Funk (PPE) to the Commission

(17 February 1998)

Subject: EU ban on the import of meat from hormone-treated animals (ruling of the WTO Appeals Panel)

Pursuant to the ruling handed down by the WTO Appeals Panel, the EU is entitled to introduce, on a scientific
basis, what it feels is an appropriate level of consumer protection which may be more stringent than that derived
from international public health standards.

1.

For which specific areas must the required scientific evidence for possible risks be produced?

2. Which experts have been commissioned by the EU to provide this evidence?

3.

4.

How much money is available for these scientific studies?

Are the Member States involved as well?

5. What scientific studies are to be carried out, and when will they begin?

(98/C 304/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0568/98

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(4 March 1998)

Subject: EU ban on the import of meat from hormone-treated animals (ruling of the WTO Appeals Panel)

Pursuant to the ruling handed down by the WTO Appeals Panel, the EU is entitled to introduce, on a scientific
basis, what it feels is an appropriate level of consumer protection which may be more stringent than that derived
from international public health standards.

1.

For which specific areas must the required scientific evidence for possible risks be produced?

2. Which experts have been commissioned by the EU to provide this evidence?

3.

4.

How much money is available for these scientific studies?

Are the Member States involved as well?

5. What scientific studies are to be carried out, and when will they begin?

6. With what level of funding and with what measures is the federal government supporting the scientific case
against meat treated with hormones?

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-0487/98 and E-0568/98
given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 1998)

The Appeals Panel of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has endorsed the Community(cid:146)s right to lay down a
higher level of consumer health protection than that required by international standards, provided the measures
are based on an assessment of the risks. Moreover the Appeals Panel has confirmed its opinion that the ban on
using hormones in the Community was not based on a sufficiently specific risk assessment, notably as regards
the carcinogenic and genotoxic aspects of hormone residues in animal meat.

The Community has informed the WTO of its intentions as regards the implementation of the Appeal Panel(cid:146)s
recommendations and decisions of 30 March 1998.

Currently  the  Commission  is  deliberating  how  best  to  meet  its  international  obligations.  At  this  stage  the
Commission cannot yet answer questions as precise and detailed as those asked by the Honourable Member.