WRITTEN QUESTION E-1893/99 by Gérard Deprez (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Food safety.
Date: 1999-10-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agri-foodstuffs, animal feedingstuffs, antibiotic, food additive, food safety, human nutrition, medicine, precautionary principle, veterinary medicine, zoonosis

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/29

(2000/C 225 E/030)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1893/99

by GØrard Deprez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: Food safety

Is the Commission aware that the FDA (the American public body responsible for food safety) has recently
announced that it might very soon impose restrictions upon the widespread use of antibiotics on livestock
following research (cid:145)showing that bacteria resistant to antibiotics may be transmitted to humans from
animals treated with these drugs?(cid:146)

1.
Is the Commission aware of this kind of research or of similar conclusions? Can it at least confirm
that such research is being carried out and supported at European level? If so, does this research point to
similar results?

2. May we assume that the precautionary principle is being currently respected in Europe on this
matter, and in particular, could the Commission indicate the surveillance and monitoring systems now
operating along the food chain with a view to preventing the possible transmission of this resistance to
humans?

Does not

the Commission intend to propose improvements to the present system, given the
3.
importance that it now appears to want to attach to food safety and given the disastrous impact that this
transfer of bacteria might have on human health?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1999)

The Commission is aware that many international organisations, especially the World Health
1.
Organisation, and various governments are looking at the problem of antimicrobial resistance, as is the
American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well.

The Commission would draw the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the fact that it banned the use of
tetracyclines as additives in the 1970s and the use of ardacin in January 1998, and that it suspended
approval for avoparcin in January 1997 and more recently (December 1998) for four other antibiotics
(bacitracin zinc, virginiamycin, tylosin phosphate, spiramycin). These bans were imposed in order to
restrict the use of these antibiotics or related molecules to human medicine with a view to limiting the
development of cross-resistance and preventing the spread of resistance to humans, and to avoid a
situation where human medicines are less effective.

the Commission asked the Scientific Steering Committee to look at

Furthermore,
the problem of
antimicrobial resistance from a general perspective. The Committee presented its report on 28 May 1999
and stressed the need to reduce the general use of antibiotics in all areas: human medicine, veterinary
medicine, additives in animal feedingstuffs and pesticides. The Commission is studying these recommenda-
tions and will submit appropriate proposals for legislation.

The Commission already applied the precautionary principle when it suspended approval for the use
2.
of the above-mentioned antibiotics as additives, and it will continue to do so in future if this proves
necessary

The Commission has already collected data on bacteria resistant to antibiotics, particularly salmonella
typhimurium DT104, under Council Directive 92/117/EEC of 17 December 1992 concerning measures for
protection against specified zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal
origin in order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications (1). Furthermore, a research
project (FAIR) has been launched to look at strategies for monitoring resistance to antibiotics in bacteria of
animal origin.

3. With regard to authorised antibiotics in animal feedingstuffs, the Commission intends to follow the
advice of the Scientific Steering Committee, namely to stop as quickly as possible the use of antibiotics
which are being or could be utilised in human medicine and,
in the longer term, to ban all use of
antibiotics as additives.

C 225 E/30

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

As regards public health, the Commission has on a number of occasions already demonstrated that it is
giving serious consideration to the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

The Commission is providing support for Enter-net, an international network for monitoring gastro-
enteritis, especially human salmonellosis and infection with E. coli O 157. This includes resistance to
antibiotics of salmonella isolates. All Member States are involved, along with Switzerland and Norway.

In order to make up for the lack of information on bacteria resistant to antibiotics and their importance in
terms of public health, the Commission in August 1999 issued an invitation to tender for a study into the
use of antimicrobial agents in the Community with a view to establishing a basis for future surveillance
measures in this field.

(1) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993.

(2000/C 225 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1895/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: MEDIA II programme (cid:129) training (1996-2000)

Will the Commission state what agencies (public or private),
institutions, companies, cooperatives and
individuals have been allocated funding (specifying whether payments have already been made) under
MEDIA II (cid:129) Training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry
(1996-2000) (budget (cid:129) ECU 45 million, equal to approx. LIT 87 billion) and how much each of them has
been granted?

Has it checked how the amounts have actually been used and whether the proposed measures have been
successfully implemented?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 1999)

The Commission will forward directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat-General a
table containing the list of bodies, institutes and companies which have been allocated funding under the
Media II (cid:129) Training programme from 1996, which was the first year the programme was implemented,
until the first half of 1999.

The Honourable Member should also consult the Commission report on the results obtained under the
Media II programme during the period from 1 January 1996 to 30 June 1998 (1).

Allocation of funding is governed by the text of Council Decision 95/564/EC of 22 December 1995 on the
implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme
(1996-2000) (2). Funding is allocated in the form of grants. Calls for
industry (Media II (cid:129) Training)
proposals are published in the Official Journal. The different eligibility and selection criteria which are
applicable are specified by guidelines.

The selection of beneficiaries is carried out by the Commission, with assistance, in accordance with the
methods provided for by the Council Decision:
in particular the
technical selection of projects, monitoring and evaluation of projects benefiting from the programme(cid:146)s
funding, the Commission will ensure that it obtains the expertise of acknowledged specialists from the
audiovisual sector in the field of professional training. To this end, it can if necessary involve intermediary
organisations which, on the basis of their professional expertise, will provide technical assistance and will
formulate proposals for the choice of the beneficiaries, without prejudice to other selection methods.(cid:146)

(cid:145)In implementing the programme,

Following a call for proposals, the Commission selected an intermediary organisation (Media Training
intermediary organisation, based in Madrid) to provide it with the necessary technical assistance.

Moreover, the Commission avails itself of panels of independent experts for the process of selecting
beneficiaries. These are recognised professionals in the sector.