WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1578/99 by Jaime VALDIVIELSO DE CUÉ Health and consumer protection
Date: 1999-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, VALDIVIELSO DE CUE
Subjects: Belgium, EU policy, food contamination, food inspection, swine

C 27 E/138

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.1.2000

in the future, the Honourable Member will appreciate that the issues raised in relation to the sale of tickets
for this year(cid:146)s European cup final are very different from those addressed by the afore-mentioned decision.
It would, therefore, be inappropriate for the Commission to base any legal action against those responsible
for the sale of tickets for this year(cid:146)s European cup final on the conclusions drawn in relation to the sale of
tickets for last year(cid:146)s football world cup in France.

On the basis of a general assessment of the information provided, it seems that the practices to which the
Honourable Member refers, regrettable as they may appear to be, do not constitute an infringement of EC
Treaty provisions. As such the Commission does not propose to launch an inquiry into the manner in
which tickets were allocated and sold for the match in question.

(2000/C 27 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1578/99

by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: Health and consumer protection

On 26 July 1999, the Commission presented a general outline of its future plan of action to overcome the
(cid:145)dioxin crisis(cid:146) following last week(cid:146)s discovery of fully operational pig farms which had been subject to
dioxin contamination. The Commission estimated that it would take approximately 6 months for the plan
to begin to be implemented.

In view of the seriousness of the matter and of the harm which may be caused by the consumption of
such substances, what precautionary measures will be adopted in the meantime until the plan begins to be
implemented?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 1999)

Bearing in mind the developments following the (cid:145)dioxin crisis(cid:146) at the end of July 1999 in Belgium, the
Commission has had to amend the measures in force since the crisis broke. Commission Decision of
6 August 1999 amending Decision 1999/449/EC on protective measures with regard to contamination by
dioxins of certain products of animal origin intended for human or animal consumption (1) ruled out
traceability as grounds for certifying meat, eggs and derived products of Belgian origin placed on the
market, exchanged between Member States or exported to third countries. Hence this decision required the
Belgian authorities to issue certifications for consignments of these foodstuffs on the basis of the results of
polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) or dioxin analyses demonstrating that these foodstuffs have not been contami-
nated by dioxin. The measure was renewed by Commission Decision 199/601/EC of 1 September 1999
amending Decision 1999/551/EC as regards the protective measures with regard to contamination by
dioxins (2).

Besides, the Commission has been deliberating about the longer-term lessons to be drawn from this crisis.
These deliberations mainly concern animal feed manufacturing procedures, control of the raw materials
used in manufacturing this feed, and verification of food contamination levels in the Member States.

(1) OJ L 209, 7.8.1999.
(2) OJ L 232, 2.9.1999.