WRITTEN QUESTION P-0768/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Misleading of Brussels by the Netherlands authorities.
Date: 2000-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, animal disease, food contamination, food processing, health legislation, infringement of EU law, market approval, milk

26.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 26 E/109

The Commission intends to continue to work to improve the protection of human rights -including the
rights of minority cultural, religious and linguistic groups (cid:129) in Turkey, and will continue to target project
assistance to this end. As from year 2000, the two relevant budget lines (B-705 and B-704) will be
managed by the same Commission service, so as to enhance complementarity.

The Commission hopes that, now that Turkey is a candidate, diplomatic pressure will not be required to
ensure that projects receiving Community grant aid can operate without difficulty.

(2001/C 26 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0768/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Misleading of Brussels by the Netherlands authorities

(9 March 2000)

According to the Algemeen Dagblad of 29.2.2000 ((cid:145)Overheid misleidt Brussel(cid:146) (cid:129) the authorities mislead
Brussels), cows at 350 Dutch dairy farms are suffering from an unidentified disease. A farm in Zelhem has
been sealed off. The cows are displaying symptoms of listlessness. There have been problems with this
unidentified disease for more than a year now. Some cows are falling down, and a few have even died.
Pursuant to Directive 92/46/EEC (1) of 16 June 1992 on hygiene rules for milk, only milk from cows
whose general state of health is not visibly impaired may be processed and sold.
(See Annex A,
point 1(a)(iv)). The state of health of the cows on the above-mentioned 350 farms is visibly unsatisfactory.

Is the Commission aware of this situation in the Netherlands? If so, does it consider that the

1.
Netherlands is implementing European legislation (cid:129) particularly Directive 92/46/EEC (cid:129) correctly?

If the Commission considers that the Netherlands is not implementing European legislation correctly,

2.
how will it compel the Netherlands to do so?

(1) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 1.

(2001/C 26 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0788/00

by Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: Contamination of Dutch dairy products

On 29 February there were a number of press reports on the possibility of Dutch dairy products being
contaminated by a viral infection affecting dairy cattle at 350 to 600 farms.

Although the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture has apparently known about this for some time, no ban has
been imposed on any farm and the milk from the infected animals is still being processed into drinking
milk and other dairy products.

Has the Commission been informed by the Dutch authorities of this contamination?

Can the Commission say whether the Rapid Alert System has been activated to inform the other Member
States?

Can the Commission say whether the contamination represents a risk to public health? If so, what action
does the Commission intend taking to protect public health?