WRITTEN QUESTION E-1123/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority.
Date: 2000-04-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Food Safety Authority, food safety, powers of the institutions (EU), precautionary principle

C 46 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1121/00, E-1124/00, E-1126/00, E-1129/00, E-1130/00,
E-1131/00, E-1132/00, E-1135/00, E-1136/00, E-1137/00, E-1138/00 and E-1139/00
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2000)

In the White Paper on Food Safety (1), the Commission set out the general guidelines it intends to adopt
concerning the future establishment of the European Food Authority and invited all the parties concerned
to respond and contribute to the discussion during the consultation period. Regarding many of the points
raised by the Honourable Member, the Commission is unable to finalise its proposals or fix the details of
operational mechanisms until it has had an opportunity to consider the opinions expressed during the
consultation procedure.

However, with regard to the question of responsibilities, the White Paper states that risk assessment, the
gathering of data and providing information to consumers in areas for which the Authority is responsible
should be a matter for that Authority. For legal reasons and reasons of democratic responsibility, the
Commission believes that, under the current
the transfer of regulatory powers to an
independent authority cannot be justified. However, any future extension of the Authority(cid:146)s powers
would have to be considered in the light of the Commission(cid:146)s assessment of the Authority(cid:146)s performance
and the degree of confidence that it has generated without ruling out a possible need to amend the Treaty.

framework,

(1) COM(1999) 719 final.

(2001/C 46 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1123/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 April 2000)

Subject: White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority

The White Paper on Food Safety (COM(1999) 719 final) was published in January 2000. Chapter 4 is
concerned with establishing a European Food Authority (EFA). Chapter 5 considers legislation on food
safety.

The Commission wants to apply the precautionary principle in full. Account will also be taken of other
legitimate factors relevant to protection of health and to promoting fair practices in trade (sections 14
and 15).

1. What guarantees does the Commission have wthat the precautionary principle will be interpreted in
a uniform way by all parties concerned?

2.
How will the Commission determine that other factors are legitimate as far as protection of health
and promoting fair practices are concerned? What specific factors does the Commission have in mind
(please give example)?

How will the Commission prevent the decision-making process losing its transparency as a result of

3.
the other legitimate factors?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

Following the publication of the White Paper on Food Safety, the Commission adopted a communication
concerning the application of
the precautionary principle. This communication aims to promote a
common understanding of the principle and of its application. It is currently being examined by the
Community Institutions and the Codex Alimentarius, an international organisation among whose other
members the Community is currently seeking to obtain a consensus on the application of the precau-
tionary principle to food standards. The idea of discussing the possibility of taking other legitimate factors
into consideration in the decision-making process has also been put forward by Codex Alimentariusin the
its Procedural Manual but no indication of what these other legitimate factors are was included. This topic

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/133

is the subject of wide-ranging discussions in which the Commission is making the case for a broad
interpretation of the concept which includes aspects of ethics, economics, health, animal welfare and the
environment, whereas other countries want to restrict these legitimate factors to good veterinary or
agricultural practices and to sampling and analytical methods. The discussion has gained a higher profile in
connection with the use of bovine somatotropin, which the Community banned because of its negative
effects on the health and welfare of dairy cows. The Community opposes the approval of this hormone by
Codex Alimentarius, citing inter alia the aforementioned other legitimate factors.

Transparency in the decision-making process is not simply a matter of the scientific basis used by the
legislator. Clearly it is essential that consumers should be informed in a clear and comprehensible manner
of the scientific opinions on which the decisions have been based. However, the considerations taken into
account by the decision-makers, particularly the evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the
various risk management schemes in terms of total cost for society, must also be clearly explained and the
final decision fully justified.
Justice has ruled on several occasions that
the Court of
considerations relating to the protection of human health must take priority over all economic considera-
tions.

In any case,

(2001/C 46 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1125/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 April 2000)

Subject: White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority

The White Paper on Food Safety (COM(1999) 719 final) was published in January 2000. Chapter 4 is
concerned with establishing a European Food Authority (EFA). Chapter 5 considers legislation on food
safety.

The Commission says that scientific cooperation needs to be enhanced and coordinated with the work
programme of the Scientific Committees. Hitherto there has been not much funding for this and there
have often been delays in the programmes that have been implemented (section 20).

How does the Commission intend to enhance scientific cooperation and speed up procedures? What
proposals have already been formulated in this respect?

(2001/C 46 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1133/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 April 2000)

Subject: White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority

The White Paper on Food Safety (COM(1999) 719 final) was published in January 2000. Chapter 4 is
concerned with establishing a European Food Authority (EFA). Chapter 5 considers legislation on food
safety.

Many EU Member States have made massive cutbacks in the public funding of scientific research in recent
decades. As a result, scientists are partially dependent on industry for funding of their research. This
position of dependence can impair the credibility of researchers and the advice which they give
(section 41).

1.

In what way will the Commission guarantee the independence of European scientists?

2.
Does the Commission accept the proposal to establish a ceiling on the private funding of scientific
research? If so, in what way will the Commission set the maximum and minimum levels of private and
public funding, respectively? If not, does the Commission believe that private funding has no effect on the
independence of scientist?