WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2080/98 by David THOMAS to the Commission. Residue testing on poultrymeat
Date: 1998-06-30
Institutions: European Parliament, THOMAS
Subjects: consumer protection, export monitoring, food inspection, health control, hormone, poultrymeat, third country, veterinary drug, veterinary legislation, waste

5.2.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 31/121

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1998)

There are no Community directives concerning access to public buildings for people with disabilities.

In its communication on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities (1), the Commission noted that many
public buildings continue to be inaccessible or accessible only with difficulty for disabled people. At the same
time, the Commission noted that the principles of (cid:145)design for all(cid:146) and universal access would have cross-sectoral
benefits for people with disabilities as well as other groups. The Commission remains committed to those
principles.

(1) COM(96) 406 final.

(1999/C 31/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2080/98

by David Thomas (PSE) to the Commission

(30 June 1998)

Subject: Residue testing on poultrymeat

Can the Commission confirm which Member States have implemented a surveillance programme of residues of
veterinary medicines in the poultry sector in accordance with Directive 96/23/EC, how many checks on residues
have been carried out on poultry originating outside the EU and the results of these controls? Will the
Commission publish the results of on-the-spot controls carried out by their own inspectors?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 1998)

All Member States have included examinations of poultry meat in their monitoring programmes for residues
submitted to the Commission for approval according to Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on
measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products and repealing
Directives 85/358/EEC and 86/469/EEC and Decisions 89/187/EEC and 91/664/EEC (1).

Data on checks on residues on poultry originating outside the Community are not yet available to the Commission
as such controls were not obligatory before the entry into force of Directive 96/23/EC. Third countries which
want to export poultry meat to the Community have to put into place a monitoring plan according to Directive 96/
23/EC for the exported goods. Additional controls are also made at border inspection posts, but these controls are
under the responsibility of Member States and are not harmonised at the European level.

The Commission has already started an evaluation of the implementation of Council Directive 96/22/EC
concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic
action and of beta-agonists and repealing directives 81/602/EEC, 88/146/EEC and 88/299/EEC1 and Council
Directive 96/23/EC on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal
products, in Member States and third countries. The results of this evaluation once finalised will be published on
the Directorate general for consumer protection website.

(1) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996.