WRITTEN QUESTION P-0526/00 by Gary Titley (PSE) to the Commission. Harmonisation of veterinary medicines and pesticide product licensing.
Date: 2000-02-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common commercial policy, competence of the Member States, market approval, pesticide, veterinary drug

26.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 26 E/59

2.

3.

If so, does the Commission regard the Iron Rhine that was constructed between 1869 and 1879 as the
realisation of the right of way to which reference is made in the Belgium-Netherlands arbitration
treaty and the Belgium-Netherlands treaties deriving therefrom?

If not, does the Commission then not regard the Iron Rhine constructed between 1869 and 1879 as
the realisation of the right of way to which reference is made in the Belgium-Netherlands arbitration
treaty and the Belgium-Netherlands treaties deriving therefrom? What arguments does the Commission
advance for not regarding the Iron Rhine constructed between 1869 and 1879 as the realisation of
the right of way to which reference is made in the Belgium-Netherlands arbitration treaty and the
Belgium-Netherlands treaties deriving therefrom?

(1) OJ C 280 E, 3.10.2000, p. 35.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2000)

In reply to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s written question E-2381/99 (1), the Commission indicated that as far
as it knows, the precise location of the railway track inside the area of the Sittard Canton was not specified
in the Treaties. Of course it cannot deny that a railway line has been built and exists in reality.

However, it is not for the Commission to direct the Dutch government to implement any non-EC Treaty
obligation it may have entered into. Nor is it for the Commission to decide whether the terms of such
obligations have been met.

The Commission understands that representatives of the Belgian, German and Dutch Governments formed
a trilateral working party to discuss the reopening of the route. Following meetings of that working party
last year, ministers from the three Member States concerned agreed last December 1999 that a further
cross-border study of the definitive route should be carried out, to examine in particular the environmental
and other constraints on its development. This is necessary since the Dutch section of the route passes
through areas which are environmentally sensitive and are covered by the provisions of Council Directive
92/43/CEE of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora (2).

The Commission is currently considering a formal request from the Belgian authorities to extend the
Community funds already committed to the project to cover this study.

(1) OJ C 280 E, 3.10.2000, p. 35.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2001/C 26 E/073)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0526/00

by Gary Titley (PSE) to the Commission

(21 February 2000)

Subject: Harmonisation of veterinary medicines and pesticide product licensing

What progress has been made in harmonising veterinary and pesticide product licensing arrangements?

What are the main obstacles to progress?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2000)

Council Directive 81/851/EEC on the approximation of laws of the Member States relating to veterinary
medicinal products (1), stipulates that a veterinary medicinal product can only be placed on the market if
the documentation shows that the requirements on safety, quality and efficiency have been fulfilled. These

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.1.2001

requirements are laid down in Council Directive 81/852/EEC on the approximation of the laws of Member
States relating to analytical, pharmaco-toxicological and clinical standards and protocols in respect of the
testing of veterinary medicinal products (2). Furthermore, this Directive requires that medicines for animals
intended for food consumption contain only pharmacologically active substances that have positively been
evaluated. For these substances, residues have to be evaluated according to Council Regulation (EEC) no
2377/90 (3) and a withdrawal time has to be established, which determines when after the treatment food
products may be taken from the treated animals.

In the context of a general evaluation of the veterinary medicines approval system, the Commission has
recently started the process of evaluating the entire system of authorisation and supervision of medicinal
products in the Community. Based on this evaluation, a proposal for modifications to the existing system
will be made to the Council and Parliament in 2001.

Council Directive 91/414/EEC (4) on the placing of plant protection products on the market stipulates that
the authorisation of pesticides products is the responsibility of
the Member States and that such
authorisations may only be made for those products containing pesticides active substances in Annex I
to the Directive. Detailed uniform principles for the authorisation of plant protection products are laid out
in Annex VI to the Directive and Member States are obliged to respect these principles when granting such
authorisations.

For those substances for which a Commission decision has been taken not to include them in Annex I to
the Directive, no authorisations may be made and existing authorisations must be rescinded. For those
active substances that were already on the market on 1 June 1993 and where a decision has not yet been
taken to include in or to exclude from Annex I, Member States may continue to grant authorisations up
until 1st July 2003 (cid:129) in accordance with the basic provisions of Article 4 (concerning safety requirements)
of the Directive.

The Commission will report to the Council and the Parliament in July 2001 on the operation of the
Directive and based on the conclusions of that report, may propose amendments to existing legislation and
procedures.

The Commission is aware of differences in a small number of cases between the residue evaluations
performed in products containing the same substance but used for different purposes. These products that
may have a dual use, such as pesticides and veterinary medicines, have different legal classifications. These
divergences are currently under discussion at both European level and on a wider international basis, under
the Codex alimentarius framework.

(1)

(OJ L 317, 6.11.1981), as amended by Council Directive 90/676/EEC (OJ L 373, 31.12.1990) and Council Directive
93/40/EEC (OJ L 214, 24.8.1993).

(2) OJ L 317, 6.11.1981.
(3) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2377/90 laying down a Community procedure for the establishment of maximum
residue limits of veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin (OJ L 224, 18.8.1990) (cid:129) Amended by
Council Regulation (EC) no 434/97 of 3 March 1997 amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 2377/90 laying down
a Community procedure for the establishment of maximum residue limits of veterinary medicinal products in
foodstuffs of animal origin (OJ L 67, 7.3.1997).

(4) OJ L 230, 10.8.1991.

(2001/C 26 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2000)

Subject: World Cup tickets

Further to the reply to my Written Question E-2342/99 (1), would the Commission kindly indicate which
Commission officials received World Cup football tickets, whether gifts of such nature must be declared,
what the conditions are for staff accepting gifts and whether it intends to change working practice in this
area?

(1) OJ C 225 E, 8.8.2000, p. 109.