WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1864/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Beef imports from Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK
Date: 1998-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, animal disease, beef, export, health risk, veterinary inspection

18.1.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 13/107

Community financial participation in the expenditure of OEEE depends on specific rules which allow the
Commission to recognise the eligibility of the advances paid to the agency out of the Community budget. These
rules oblige the Member State to submit to the Commission a specific draft budget containing data referring in
particular to the planning of staff use, administrative expenditure, the investments as well as the receipts coming
separately from Community and national funds. Moreover, the Member State has to submit to the Commission a
specific control report relating exclusively to the financial management of the agency, on the basis of which the
Commission recognises the Community expenditure. It is evident that the funding of OEEE by the Community
budget is only possible under these conditions.

(1999/C 13/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1864/98

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(16 June 1998)

Subject: Beef imports from Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK

The Commission is edging towards recommending that the Council approve a partial lifting of the import ban on
beef from the whole of the UK, following the lifting of restrictions on imports from Northern Ireland on 1 June
1998. This is a particularly serious matter, given the steady number of cases of (cid:145)mad cow disease(cid:146) in Northern
Ireland › a region which accounts for over 12 % of total UK beef production › where 1769 cases have been
recorded so far. The risk is far greater for countries which need to import livestock products on a large scale (such
as Greece); moreover, contaminated meat from the UK can find its way to these countries through other Member
States, owing to the abolition of internal border controls in the EU.

Will the Commission say why the process of lifting the import ban on UK beef has been speeded up, since it is not
yet fully established that the meat imports in question are entirely safe for citizens throughout the EU?

(1999/C 13/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2121/98

by FrØdØric Striby (I-EDN) to the Commission

(30 June 1998)

Subject: Lifting of the export ban on British beef and veal

The European Commission wishes to lift the export ban on British beef and veal from animals born after 1 August
1996. Can the Commission set out the grounds on which its decision is based and provide evidence that the
British have complied in full with the rules governing the feeding of animals, the traceability of beef and veal, the
monitoring of distribution networks, the destruction of all risk material and the elimination of the use of the
various types of meat and bone meal?

Has the accuracy of this evidence been checked by independent bodies and experts?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1864/98 and P-2121/98
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 August 1998)

In accordance with the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council held in Florence, on 21 and 22 June
1996, the Commission proposals for the gradual restoration of the single market in beef have been based upon
scientific and technical advice.

The proposal for a date-based export scheme allowing the dispatch from the United Kingdom of deboned meat
and meat products, derived from certain cattle born after 1 August 1996, has been drawn up in accordance with
the advice of the scientific steering committee.