WRITTEN QUESTION E-2344/99 by Salvador Jové Peres (GUE/NGL) and Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Tomato imports from Morocco.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU market, Morocco, agricultural market, association agreement (EU), economic consequence, fruit vegetable, import (EU), international trade, market stabilisation, tariff quota, trade agreement (EU), voluntary restraint agreement

C 225 E/110

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

The SCF re-discussed the toxicology of aflatoxins at its 108th plenary session in September 1997 (3) in the
light of a joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives (JECFA) evaluation (4). The SCF recognised
the great effort made by JECFA to perform a quantitative risk assessment by combining carcinogenic
potencies and human exposure data, but noted also the several limitations and assumptions inherent in
this approach, which were clearly set out in the report. The SCF noted that the toxicology of the aflatoxins
the most potent mutagenic and carcinogenic
is not questioned by JECFA (cid:145)Aflatoxins are amongst
substances known(cid:146) and that several statements of the JECFA are not incompatible with the SCF opinion
on aflatoxins expressed in 1994 and concluded that this opinion remains valid. On the basis of this
assessment it is considered that fixing maximum levels, besides preventive measures to avoid contamina-
tion, contribute to the protection of the consumer. These limits must be set at a level as low as reasonably
achievable.

The Commission is fully aware of the importance of the brazil nut production for the social conditions of
the local producers and for the preservation of the Amazon forest. The Commission is therefore currently
examining under the technical co-operation programmes with the countries involved which technical and
financial assistance can be provided for in order to maintain brazil nut production as a way of preservation
of the bio-diversity of the Amazon rainforest, to improve the quality of the brazil nut with regard to
aflatoxin content and to improve the social conditions of the small,
local growers. However, these
objectives are secondary to the protection of European consumers from the dangers to public health
from aflatoxin contamination.

(1) OJ L 201, 17.7.1998, p. 43 and p. 93.
(2) Reports of the scientific committee for food, 35th series.
(3) Minutes of the 108th meeting of the Scientific Committee for Food held on 18-19 September 1997 in Brussels.
(4)

Forty-ninth meeting, Rome, 17-26 June 1997, Summary and Conclusions, enclosed section.

(2000/C 225 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2344/99

by Salvador JovØ Peres (GUE/NGL)
and Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Tomato imports from Morocco

Although tomato imports from Morocco are subject to a quota of 150 676 tonnes, that country exported a
total of 181 542 tonnes to the EU between October 1998 and March 1999, thereby infringing Article 2(4)
of the Protocol on the arrangements applying to imports into the Community of agricultural products
originating in Morocco, which states that (cid:145)Morocco hereby undertakes to ensure that total exports to the
Community during the periods and under the conditions specified in this Protocol do not exceed the
amounts agreed in Articles 3 and 4.(cid:146)

What action does the Commission intend to take in order to ensure that the protocol is complied with in
future? How does it intend to compensate Community producers for the financial losses incurred as a
result of Morocco(cid:146)s infringement of the protocol?

(2000/C 225 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2345/99

by Salvador JovØ Peres (GUE/NGL)
and Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Tomato imports from Morocco

Morocco has infringed Article 3 of the Protocol on the arrangements applying to imports into the
Community of agricultural products originating in Morocco, which stipulated the monthly breakdown of
the quota and the 20 % overshoot which is allowed. In so doing, Morocco caused the markets to collapse
in November and January of the last marketing year and did serious damage to the sector.