WRITTEN QUESTION E-0726/00 by Inger Schörling (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Homeopathic medicines in stock farming.
Date: 2000-03-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common commercial policy, homeopathic product, market approval, organic farming, plant health product, veterinary drug

26.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 26 E/97

As regards Council Directive 91/271/EEC (3) of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment,
agglomerations with a population equivalent (p. e.) of more than 15 000 (the population equivalent is a
unit of measurement corresponding to the average amount of organic pollution produced per person
each day) which discharge their urban waste-water into the river Segura must be provided with collecting
systems and biological treatment systems by 31 December 2000 at the latest. For agglomerations with a
population equivalent of between 2 000 and 15 000 the deadline is 31 December 2005. At the beginning
of next year the Commission will check whether this requirement has been met in respect of the largest
agglomerations.

Concerning industrial waste water, there is a clear obligation under Council Directive 76/464/EEC for the
authorisation of discharges containing list I and list II substances.

Consequently there is a requirement for purification of industrial waste water if emission limit values in
the discharge of water quality objectives are exceeded.

The Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, will take the necessary measures, using the instruments
available, to ensure that Community law is complied with in the case in question.

(1) OJ L 129, 18.5.1976.
(2)
(3) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.

Judgment of 25.11.1998. Case C-214/96.

(2001/C 26 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0726/00

by Inger Sch(cid:246)rling (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(17 March 2000)

Subject: Homeopathic medicines in stock farming

Under a new Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No. 1804/1999 (1) of 19 July 1999 supplementing
Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 (2) on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring
thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs to include livestock production), organically reared animals
are, primarily, to be treated with homeopathic and herbal medicines, provided they are effective.

It is very constructive that homeopathic and herbal medicines are now accepted and are to be used but, in
Sweden, veterinary surgeons have protested against the rule as they are not permitted to use homeopathic
medicines as long as there is no scientific evidence that such preparations are effective. In contrast, anyone
who is not a veterinary surgeon is allowed to treat sick animals with homeopathic medicine.

The consequence of this situation is that it is left to farmers first to make a diagnosis and then to try a
homeopathic treatment. There is a great risk in this process that a correct diagnosis and professional
treatment will come too late. There is also a greater risk of spreading disease.

What does the Commission intend to do to ensure that animals in all countries receive professional and
appropriate treatment and that veterinary surgeons are also allowed to use homeopathic and herbal
medicines?

(1) OJ L 222, 24.8.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(18 April 2000)

Under Council Regulation (CE) no 1804/1999 (1), sick or injured animals reared in organic farming should
be treated with veterinary medicinal products of plant origin or homeopathic products, provided their
therapeutic effect is effective and adapted to the sickness and to the animal species. If this is not the case,
the use of chemically synthesised allopathic medicinal products is allowed under the responsibility of a vet.

C 26 E/98

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.1.2001

Every medicinal product of whatever origin must comply with specific rules before it can be marketed and
used, whether in organic farming or in conventional animal husbandry. According to the principles laid
down in Article 4 of Directive 81/851/EEC, (2) no veterinary medicinal product may be marketed in a
Member State and no veterinary medicinal product may be administered to animals unless authorization
has previously been issued.

Directive 92/74/EEC (3) provides for a special simplified registration procedure for homeopathic veterinary
medicinal products. Under this simplified registration scheme, demonstration of efficacy of the product is
not required. Article 7 of this Directive, however, explicitly excludes from this simplified procedure
products which are intended for food producing animals.

The term (cid:145)phytotherapeutic(cid:146) medicinal product is not known in Community pharmaceutical legislation and
medicinal products containing active herbal ingredients need to be authorised like any other veterinary
medicinal product. Therefore, according to Community pharmaceutical legislation both phytotherapeutic
and homeopathic veterinary medicinal products for food producing animals must be authorized in
accordance with the provisions of Directive 81/851/EEC, including the provisions concerning proof of
therapeutic effect.

These rules are intended to assure the quality, safety and efficacy of veterinary medicinal products. They
apply to anyone who places on the market and administers veterinary medicinal products to animals in the
Community. Neither vets nor farmers are (cid:129) according to Community law (cid:129) allowed to use homeopathic
or (cid:145)phytotherapeutic(cid:146) veterinary medicinal products unless they have been authorized in accordance with
the provisions of Directive 81/851/EEC, including the provisions on the proof of therapeutic effect.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1804/1999 of 19 July 1999 supplementing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic
production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs to
include livestock production.

(2) Council Directive 81/851/EEC of 28 September 1981 on the approximation of the laws of theMember States

relating to veterinary medicinal products, OJ L 317, 6.11.1981.

(3) Council Directive 92/74/EEC of 22 September 1992 widening the scope of Directive 81/851/EEC on the
approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to veterinary medicinal
products and laying down additional provisions on homeopathic veterinary medicinal products, OJ L 297,
13.10.1992.

(2001/C 26 E/118)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0727/00

by Inger Sch(cid:246)rling (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Infringement of Directives 85/337/EC and 97/11/EC

(17 March 2000)

Since 1994 there have been plans in the county of Blekinge (Sweden) to construct a road through the
Rolandshav, a wetland area deserving protection whose natural value would be wholly or partially
destroyed by the building of such a road.

In December a complaint was brought before the Commission against the Blekinge county council for lack
in the application of Directive 85/337/EC (1) (as
of transparency, objective review and quality control
amended by Directive 97/11/EC (2)). The complaint was also directed against the Ministry of Industry and
Commerce for its uncritical acceptance of a work plan for the construction of the road.

The complainant considers that the environmental impact assessments on which the decision was based
were faulty in a number of respects, and that the decision as taken cannot be considered correct. The
complainant further maintains that the environmental impact assessment did not meet the requirement for
relevant data, nor did it identify, describe or assess the direct or indirect impact of the road construction
on the eco-system within the area of countryside affected. (In the material which has been made public
there are in fact downright inaccuracies. The information material stated that the University of Lund was
responsible for the assessment of natural values in the environmental
impact assessment, whereas the
University of Lund was not even involved in the assessment).