WRITTEN QUESTION E-1093/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Antibiotics in hens' eggs.
Date: 2000-04-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, Italy, antibiotic, egg, food safety

C 72 E/18

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

3. How is it monitoring the control measures and with what success and what measures are provided to

eliminate shortcomings?

(1) OJ L 318, 27.11.1998, p. 63.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 2000)

1.
The Commission is fully aware that engine power can be manipulated in numerous ways and that,
therefore, control of engine power will probably never be fully sufficient. Nevertheless, legislation setting
an upper limit on engine power for beam trawlers is required and is provided by Article 29 of Council
Regulation (EC) 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical
measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms (1).

2.
Technical rules can, perhaps, be monitored more easily and more rapidly. However, if the limit on
engine power were to be completely replaced by such rules, there would be no limit on the size and power
of vessels permitted to enter the so-called plaice box. In effect, therefore, the plaice box would cease to
exist and hence conservation effects on young place would either be much diluted or negated. The
Commission would be willing to consider technical measures such as those suggested by the Honourable
Member to be additional to constraints on engine power.

3.
It is the responsibility of Member States to monitor and enforce the measures laid down in
Community law. Should a Member State find a vessel in contravention of the conditions laid down, it is
for that Member State to take the appropriate legal action. It is unfortunate that Member States, in some
instances, have not pursued certain possibilities available to them, for example fuel consumption by
individual vessels, to check on possible deviations from the legal requirements.

The Commission(cid:146)s inspectorate has the role of ensuring that Member States fulfil their responsibilities in an
appropriate manner. The Commission has conducted a number of investigations into this topic in recent
years as a result of which the Commission suspects, but cannot definitively prove, that shortcomings exist.
To eliminate these shortcomings it is necessary to consider ways by which engine power may be measured
in a consistent manner throughout Member States and also to recall that between Member States there is
considerable divergence in legal interpretation of conditions defining engine power.

The Commission is taking steps to promote the development of a European standard on measurement of
marine engine power and may subsequently propose making the use of such a standard mandatory by
Community legislation.

(1) OJ L 125, 27.4.1998.

(2001/C 72 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1093/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 April 2000)

Subject: Antibiotics in hens(cid:146) eggs

In November and December 1999, 32 different packages of eggs were purchased by the Italian
(cid:145)Altroconsumo(cid:146) consumer magazine from a number of supermarkets in Rome and Milan, and their
contents examined. The eggs examined were all classified as category A, meaning that they were intended
to be eaten fresh and were supposedly of the highest quality. In nine cases, the presence was detected of
sulfonamide and quinoline derivative antibiotics, prohibited in eggs.

6.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/19

Pharmaceuticals are administered to the animals during rearing and to prevent disease. Eggs that are laid
during that period or immediately thereafter must of course be destroyed. The same also applies if the
treatment is suspended. It is absolutely essential for a necessary transition period to be allowed to lapse to
enable the substances administered to pass out of the hens(cid:146) systems, a requirement clearly not complied
with in these cases. Consumption of eggs contaminated with antibiotics results in certain bacteria
becoming more resistant and in human beings adapting to the substances, whereby the effectiveness of
antibiotics when used to treat sickness is undermined.

Will the Commission state if it is familiar with this problem and if it proposes to take action to guarantee
consumer protection in this connection, thereby protecting the health of European Union citizens?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

According to Annex II of Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures to monitor certain
substances and residues thereof in live animals and products (1), surveillance of antibacterial substances,
these
including sulfonamides and quinolones, must be done in eggs, regardless of whether or not
substances have already been authorised to treat laying hens.

The Commission has not received the Italian national report of results for 1999 on the surveillance
programme.

Following the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question, a request has been addressed to the Italian authorities about
this incident and, depending on the reply, appropriate measures will be taken.

(1) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996.

(2001/C 72 E/022)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1115/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 April 2000)

Subject: Protection of animals during transport

Five reports published by the Commission during 1999 on veterinary missions to various Member States
show widespread breaches of Council Directive 91/628/EEC (1) (as amended by Council Directive 95/29/
EC (2)) on the protection of animals during transport.

What steps is the Commission taking to remind Member States that:

1.

2.

they should reject route plans which contain no arrangements for sheep and cattle to be unloaded and
given food, water and 24 hours rest after travelling for 29 hours; and that

(cid:145)basic(cid:146) vehicles which fail to comply with Council Regulation 411/98 (3) should not be used to
transport animals on journeys exceeding 8 hours.

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 17.
(2) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995, p. 52.
(3) OJ L 52, 21.2.1998, p. 8.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(22 May 2000)

The Commission is aware that journeys which are in breach of the provisions of Council Directive 91/
628/EEC of 19 November 1991 on the protection of animals during transport and amending Directives
90/425/EEC and 91/496/EEC (1) as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EC of 29 June 1995 (2) are still
taking place in the Community.