WRITTEN QUESTION E-1184/00 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Imports of American meat treated with hormones.
Date: 2000-04-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United States, beef, extra-EU trade, hormone

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/9

(2001/C 103 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1184/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(12 April 2000)

Subject: Imports of American meat treated with hormones

With reference to the dispute between the EU and the US concerning Europe(cid:146)s ban on imports of meat
containing hormone residues, and following the unsuccessful outcome of the WTO Assembly:

1.

Can the Commission provide information on the current state of play with regard to this matter?

Has the EU submitted scientific proof that treating livestock with hormones can have adverse effects

2.
on human health?

Can the Commission state the amount of meat imported into the EU from the US in 1999 and tested

3.
for hormone residues?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

(ABR)

Following the relevant appellate body report

1.
findings and on the basis of a specific
Commission mandate, the scientific committee for veterinary measures relating to public health (SCVPH)
has addressed the potential risks to human health from hormone residues on bovine meat and meat
products, and unanimously adopted an opinion in April 1999, reviewed on 3 May 2000, that constitutes
the latest and most comprehensive assessment of risks from the hormones in question. In addition, the
Commission approved and financed 17 scientific studies in early 1998 with the aim of obtaining further
information in areas such as toxicology, abusive use and environmental aspects. Several of these studies
have still to be completed.

In the light of the recent scientific findings, the Commission adopted on 24 May 2000 a proposal for a
Parliament and Council directive to ban definitively the use of oestradiol 17, and maintain the current
prohibition on the five other hormones on a provisional basis. The proposal was transmitted to the
Council and Parliament.

In April 1999, the results from part of the 17 studies demonstrated that some bovine meat and offal
imported from the United States under the hormone free cattle program,
implemented by the US in
agreement with the Community as an interim rule to respond to the Community legislation, contained
residues of hormones and thus did not respect Community rules for import of bovine meat. This report
led to the application of specific additional provisions to the import of US beef and offal that are still in
place, and led the US to replace the hormone free cattle program with the non-hormone treated cattle
program in September 1999.

2.

The SCVPH, in its opinion of 30 April 1999, concluded:

(cid:129) As concerns excess intake of hormone residues and their metabolites, and in view of the intrinsic
properties of hormones and epidemiological findings, a risk to the consumer has been identified with
different levels of conclusive evidence for the six hormones in question.

(cid:129) In the case of oestradiol 17 there is a substantial body of recent evidence suggesting that it has to be
considered as a complete carcinogen, as it exerts both tumour initiating and tumour promoting
effects. The data available do not allow a quantitative estimate of the risk. For the other five hormones,
in spite of the individual toxicological and epidemiological data described in the report, the current
state of knowledge does not allow a quantitative estimate of the risk.

C 103 E/10

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

(cid:129) For all six hormones endocrine, developmental, immunological, neurobiological, immunotoxic, geno-
toxic and carcinogenic effects could be envisaged. Of the various susceptible risk groups, prepubertal
children are the group of greatest concern. Again the available data do not enable a quantitative
estimate of the risk.

(cid:129) In view of the intrinsic properties of the hormones and in consideration of epidemiological findings,

no threshold levels can be defined for any of the six substances.

3.
In 1999, 4 100 tons of fresh, chilled or frozen beef and offal were imported into the Community
from the US. According to Commission Decision 1999/302/EC, of 30 April 1999, 100 % of the consign-
ments of US meat shall be submitted for analysis:
(cid:145)two official samples shall be taken from each
consignment concerned and examined for residues of each of the xenobiotic hormones (cid:133)(cid:146).

(2001/C 103 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1407/00

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(5 May 2000)

Subject: Fraud and corruption within the European Union

Will the Commission please indicate what actions have been taken to prevent a recurrence of fraud and
corruption like that revealed in the Leonardo Programme, supervised by former Commissioner Edith
Cresson?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(13 July 2000)

The Anti-Fraud Office of the European Communities (OLAF) undertook an investigation into the internal
management of the Technical Assistance Bureau (BAT) responsible for the implementation of the Leonardo
programme and, as a consequence, identified facts about the case which could result in criminal charges
relating to possible fraud. Those facts were then transmitted to the relevant judicial authorities. The OLAF
investigation did not detect evidence of wrongdoing in the management of the programme as such.

In addition to the OLAF investigation, an administrative enquiry into the management of the programme
was undertaken and has recently been concluded. Like the OLAF investigation, the report of that enquiry
did not show evidence of serious error in the management of the programme warranting the opening of
disciplinary proceedings.

As part of
the efforts to further reinforce security against attempted fraud, corruption or serious
mismanagement, the Commission(cid:146)s Reform programme contains several provisions for action which inter
in the first report of the
alia respond to the concerns registered, and the recommendations made,
Committee of Independent Experts.

Those provisions include the strengthening of responsibility and accountability of Directorates General
which will be directly responsible for financial management, and will include an account of that manage-
ment in their Annual Report; the implementation of new audit capabilities in Directorates General; and the
establishment of an independent internal Audit Service led, and mainly staffed by, qualified specialists in
financial audit. In addition, the Commission(cid:146)s resources dedicated to audit will be increased by the external
recruitment of specialists and through internal training.

To illustrate the effect of the changes it can be reasonably anticipated that audit units of Directorates
General will undertake, or have undertaken, auditing of TAOs (or comparable organisations). Moreover, if
and when an audit report has not been issued within a satisfactory period of time (cid:129) the internal Audit
Service will be alerted and will make the appropriate investigations on which it will report to the
Commission.