WRITTEN QUESTION P-1410/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Consumption of milk from sick cows continues.
Date: 2000-05-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, animal disease, food contamination, food processing, health legislation, infringement of EU law, market approval, milk

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/11

As the Honourable Member will have noted in the White Paper on Reform, published and presented to
Parliament on 1 March, some Reform provisions relating to modernisation of financial management and
control will require changes in the existing Financial Regulations legislation before they can enter into
force. Meanwhile, the Commission is implementing and will implement all changes that do not require
legislative amendment. Resulting from that, the new Internal Audit Service became operational on 21 June,
the Commission will decide on the provisions for the decentralisation of ex-ante visa controls on 12 July,
all DGs are undertaking an extensive assessment of their financial systems to be completed by September
2000, and all staff engaged in financial matters will be receiving extensive training from September.

(2001/C 103 E/010)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1410/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 May 2000)

Subject: Consumption of milk from sick cows continues

On 6 April 2000 Commissioner Byrne observed, in answer to my Question P-0768/00 (1) on behalf of the
Commission, that (cid:145)the information so far available suggests that there is no particular risk for public
health(cid:146). The Commission evidently has some doubts as to the reliability of the information from the
Netherlands Government.

One in three cows in the Netherlands, more than 1,1 million cattle, have been inoculated with a
contaminated vaccine. The vaccination campaign to check bovine influenza was stopped in February
1999. Around 7000 farmers whose cows were inoculated with a vaccine of this kind by Bayer are
complaining that tens of thousands of their cows are having trouble with udder infections, nasal bleeding,
miscarriages, loss of milk production and calves suffering from bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) immediately
after birth.

One farmer, B. Roozengaarde of Zelhem, properly reported his problems with sick cows. His farm was
closed down by the Netherlands Government in late November 1999. To this day he has received no
compensation, despite the fact that it is mandatory under Netherlands law in cases of contagious disease.
The many other farmers who have not reported their problems with their sick cows are receiving quite
different treatment. Veterinarians from the Veterinary Health Service (VHS) are working under a protocol
approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, which states that farms with more than a given percentage of sick
cows may not go on supplying milk. If a farmer has more than this percentage of sick cows, the VHS
advises them to have the sickest cows slaughtered, so as to come beneath the percentage prescribed. The
farm is then approved and milk supplies, even from the remaining sick cows, can continue. The Algemeen
Dagblad carries this story in its issue of 14 April 2000. This practice is in flagrant violation of European
law.

Three farms have meanwhile been closed in the Netherlands. Hundreds, if not thousands, of farmers are
supplying milk from sick cows to consumers with the cooperation of the Netherlands Government.
Consumer confidence in the safety of our food has been damaged repeatedly over the last few years. This
business with listless or staggering cows must be cleared up as soon as possible, and appropriate steps
taken to put an end to the affair.

1.

Does the Commission agree that double standards are being used in the Netherlands?

2.
Does it agree that the Commission cannot go on relying on the information from the Netherlands
Government any longer, but must itself launch an independent investigation and put an end to these
unacceptable practices?

(1) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 109.

C 103 E/12

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2000)

In the light of the concerns in relation to the cattle health problems reported in the Netherlands, the
Commission(cid:146)s food and veterinary office (FVO) carried out an on-the-spot inspection from 2 May 2000 (cid:129)
4 May 2000. A report on this inspection is currently being finalised and will then be submitted to the
standing veterinary committee for discussion. It will also be submitted to the Parliament and released on
the Internet in accordance with the normal practice. The Commission will take the appropriate follow-up
actions in the light of findings and recommendations in this report. The situation will also be kept under
review in the light of further developments in the identification of the causes underlying the problem.

(2001/C 103 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1463/00

by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Effects on health of hydrogen sulphide

What information does the Commission have on the long term effects of exposure to hydrogen sulphide
gas from landfill sites on human health and in particular on the eyes and lungs? What measures if any
have been taken to minimise the risks of exposure?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2000)

The characteristic smell of rotten egg produced by this gas and irritation of the nasal and olfactory
membranes are detectable at a concentration of 0,05 parts per million (ppm). Human toxicity occurs at a
concentration of 150 ppm (paralysis of
the olfactory nerve). A pulmonary oedema develops at a
concentration of 300 ppm with loss of consciousness shortly followed by death at a concentration of
500 ppm. Hydrogen sulphide is classified in the Community as extremely flammable, very toxic and
dangerous to the environment.

At present the treatment of waste is regulated by Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 (1) as
amended by Council Directive 91/156/EEC of 18 March 1991 on waste (2), in particular by its Article 4,
which states that waste must be disposed of without endangering human health or the environment.

Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste (3), which will become applicable
by 16 July 2001, lays down specific requirements for landfills. The overall objective of the Directive is to
prevent or reduce as far as possible negative effects on human health or the environment from the
landfilling of waste. Negative effects from landfilling arise mainly from emissions of landfill gas and
leachate into the surrounding environment. Landfill gas and leachate are produced by the degradation of
biodegradable waste under anaerobic conditions. To minimise such emissions, one of the Directive(cid:146)s main
objectives is for Member States to draw up strategies to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste going
to landfills. It also sets precise targets for the reduction of the amount of biodegradable municipal waste
going to landfills. To achieve these targets Member States will in particular have to increase recycling and
composting of biodegradable waste, the production of biogas and other forms of recovery. Furthermore,
the Directive provides that landfill gas must be collected from all landfills where biodegradable waste is
received and that the landfill gas must be treated and used. If the gas collected cannot be used to produce
energy, it must be flared.

(1) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975.
(2) OJ L 78, 26.3.1991.
(3) OJ L 182, 16.7.1999.