WRITTEN QUESTION E-0995/00 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. White Paper on Food Safety.
Date: 2000-03-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, dietary product, food safety

C 374 E/198

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.12.2000

(2000/C 374 E/234)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0990/00

by Markus Ferber (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 March 2000)

Subject: MEDIA II: share-out of appropriations to participating countries

Since my Written Question E-0104/00 (1) has regrettably failed to elicit a proper answer, will
the
Commission now say how MEDIA II funding has been allocated to participating countries since the
programme was launched? What amounts have the different Member States received in absolute and
percentage terms, and why have those amounts been granted?

(1) OJ C 280 E, 3.10.2000, p. 178.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2000)

A table setting out the financial aid granted to each country in the first four years of the MEDIA II
programme (1996 (cid:129) 1999) has been sent directly to the Honourable Member and the Secretariat-General
of Parliament.

The table is accompanied by statistics relating to the share of the European market of each Member State
and participating State in the MEDIA II programme. The statistics for the years 1998-1999 are provided
by way of illustration and do not represent the final figures. Theyare expectedto be confirmed during the
programme(cid:146)s final evaluation. These data show how the funds are allocated under the MEDIA II
programme in relation to the actual situation on the market.

Example: The Netherlands represents 1,8 % of total investment in film production in Europe, and 2,7 % of
the European market in terms of cinema box office receipts. Between 1996 and 1999, this Member State
including 3,5 % of the funds
received 5,45 % of the funds granted under the MEDIA II programme,
allocated to producers and 4,9 % of the support given to distributors. The proportion of funds allocated to
Netherlands professionals was therefore higher than their actual representation on the European market, in
terms of both production and market share.

the Commission selects the beneficiaries in accordance with the
Under the MEDIA II programme,
arrangements set out in Council Decisions 95/564/EC of 22 December 1995 on the implementation of a
training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry (MEDIA II (cid:129)
Training) (1) and 95/563/EC of 10 July 1995 on the implementation of a programme encouraging the
development and distribution of European audiovisual works (MEDIA II (cid:129) Development and distribution)
(1996- 2000) (1).

The projects which are co-financed by the Commission are chosen on the basis of quality and European
added value,
irrespective of their nationality or country of origin. The Commission and the MEDIA
Committee lay down guidelines setting out the various eligibility and selection criteria that apply.

Lastly, a final report on the evaluation of the MEDIA II programme will be sent to Parliament once the
programme finishes at the end of the year 2000.

(1) OJ L 321, 30.12.1995.

(2000/C 374 E/235)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0995/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 March 2000)

Subject: White Paper on Food Safety

In the annex to its White Paper on food safety (COM(1999) 719 final), the Commission indicates that it
will present a proposal for a directive on fortified foods.

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374 E/199

Could the Commission explain:

1. On what basis the Scientific Committee for Food will define upper safe limits for vitamin and mineral
intakes, and how the Commission will utilise these in defining maximum limits for food fortification
in the Directive?

2. Whether the Directive will allow the use of those vitamins and minerals, which it has listed in the

Directive on Dietary Foods for Special Medical Purposes (1999/21)?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2000)

The Commission has given a mandate to the scientific committee for food (SCF) to review the upper
1.
levels of daily intakes of vitamins and minerals that are unlikely to pose a risk of adverse health effects.
The SCF is responsible for ensuring that its review is consistent with the principles of scientific risk
assessment.

The Commission intends to include in its proposal for a directive on fortified foods the principles and
criteria to be taken into consideration for defining maximum limits for added vitamins and minerals. In
view of the early stage of the preparation of the above proposal the Commission is not in a position to
give details on these principles and criteria. One of these principles, for example, will be the basic principle
of food law, namely that the products resulting from the addition of vitamins and minerals should be safe.
Potential intakes from all food sources will also be one of the criteria that will have to be considered.

On the basis of the upper safe levels derived through scientific risk assessment by the SCF and applying the
defined criteria and principles as part of risk management assessment, maximum limits of vitamins and
minerals in the fortified foods will then be set.

2.
Commission Directive 1999/21/EC of 25 March 1999 on dietary foods for special medical
purposes (1) does indeed include a list of vitamins and minerals that should be present in these products.
The SCF adopted on 12 May 1999 an opinion on nutritional substances that may be added to foods for
particular nutritional uses. That report includes a list of vitamins and minerals similar to that included in
Directive 1999/21/EC. These lists will serve as the basis for establishing the list of vitamins and minerals
that may be added to fortified foods.

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.

(2000/C 374 E/236)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1004/00

by Karin Riis-Jłrgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Unlawful restriction of free movement of labour

(31 March 2000)

In order to be approved as an authorised tourist guide in Italy, the following conditions must be satisfied:

(cid:129) Would-be guides must pass an Italian examination, which is not held on a regular basis; it may be up

to 10-15 years before the next examination.

(cid:129) Part of the examination consists of a test in written Italian. The standards are very strict and many of
the foreign guides fail this part of the examination. The guides speak fluent Italian but often do not
write as well as the national guides. The written Italian requirement does not seem relevant as the
guides often guide in their native language.

(cid:129) A passed examination only entitles the holder to practise in the town or region in which the
examination was passed, which makes it impossible for guides to accompany groups on tours
throughout the country.

Is it the Commission(cid:146)s view that this form of examination and issuing of authorisations is consistent with
Community rules on the free movement of labour?