WRITTEN QUESTION E-1441/00 by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Import of genetically modified cottonseed.
Date: 2000-05-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, Italy, Spain, cotton, extra-EU trade, market approval, seed, transgenic plant

C 89 E/44

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

The rules validated by the Commission on 14 March 2000 were the subject of a press release (1) and were
notified to the Member States on 28 March 2000 but apply only to those, by the date of the Commission(cid:146)s
approval of their programming documents, have not yet notified the sites to be protected under Council
Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora (2)
and Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (3).

In the event of any irregularity, i.e. any failure to meet the undertakings on the submission of lists of sites
to be protected, the Commission will formally notify to the Member State concerned its intention to take
appropriate action without delay under Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying
down general provisions on the Structural Funds (4) or Council Regulation (EC) No 1264/1999 of
21 June 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 1164/94 establishing a Cohesion Fund (4).

Except in special circumstances such action will include recourse by the Commission, in line with the
principle of proportionality, to the provisions on suspension of payments (see Article 39(2) of Regulation
(EC) No 1260/1999 and Article D(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1265/1999 amending Annex II to Regulation
(EC) No 1164/94).

No concrete example of suspension of payment in a case of irregularity can yet be given.

(1)
IP/00/266, 16.3.2000.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(3) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(4) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 89 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1441/00

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Import of genetically modified cottonseed

On 29 March this year sources within the organisation Greenpeace stated that Spain was importing
genetically modified cottonseed. It is suspected that Greece and Italy are doing the same.

What action does the Commission intend to take in this context? What control mechanisms does the
European Community have to prevent the entry of seeds of this kind, which are not authorised by the EU?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 2000)

The Commission has been informed by the Greek authorities of import of seed of non genetically modified
varieties of cotton carrying impurities of genetically modified cotton seed. The Commission has not
received similar information from either Spain or Italy.

No genetically modified cotton varieties have as yet received authorisation for the placing on the market in
the Community under Part C of Directive 90/220/EEC of 23 April 1990 on the deliberate release into the
environment of genetically modified organisms (1). Two applications, concerning the placing on the market
of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant cotton, have been submitted to the regulatory committee for
consideration but did not receive a favourable opinion.

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/45

Under current Community law, the placing on the market, including the import, of seeds consisting of, or
containing genetically modified material which has not been authorised in the Community under Council
Directive 90/220/EEC or under equivalent product specific Community provisions is prohibited. This
applies also to seed lots of conventional varieties, that contain impurities of unauthorized genetically
modified material.

The Commission has the intention to adopt, under the existing Community seed legislation, standards for
purity concerning the adventitious presence of genetically modified seeds as well as specific labelling
requirements for seeds in respect of genetically modified material (Annex to the Commission(cid:146)s white paper
on food safety (2), position 77). This would ensure that these standards and labelling requirements are
integrated in the official seed certification procedure established for seeds produced in the Community. The
same measures would also be included in the seed equivalence regime governing the requirements for
seeds imported into the Community.

Until such time, the Member States under their general obligation to monitor compliance with Community
law, have to assess the risk of the possible presence of unauthorized genetically modified material and, in
case of suspicion, to carry out appropriate testing with the aim to intercept contaminated lots and prevent
them from being marketed and used.

Member States can,
in addition to the mandatory checks required under the relevant Community
provisions, unilaterally include any other checks for compliance with Community law in the procedures
applicable to imports from third countries and take the appropriate action in case of findings confirming
non-compliance with Community law.

(1) OJ L 117, 8.5.1990.
(2) COM(1999) 719 final.

(2001/C 89 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1456/00

by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Business activities in Tuscany held up

No answer has been received yet to the rural development plan for Tuscany submitted at the beginning
of July 1999 and drawn up in accordance with Regulations (EC) Nos 1257/1999 (1) and 1750/1999 (2) for
rapid approval in the first few months of 2000. This has created considerable problems for the provincial
administrations which, because they do not know when the RDP will be definitively approved, are not
issuing provisional authorisations for work to start. This has led, in turn, to a freeze on the funding of the
companies involved in work carried out since 1 January 2000, thereby holding up business activities in
Tuscany. Can the Commission say what the causes of the delay are?

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80.
(2) OJ L 214, 13.8.1999, p. 31.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2000)

The rural development plan for the Region of Tuscany for the period 2000-2006 was communicated to
the Commission, in accordance with Article 44(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May
1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
(EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations (1), in a letter dated 14 December 1999 and was
supplemented by incorporating essential elements under Article 43 of the aforementioned Regulation by
letters dated 30 December 1999 and 26 January 2000.