WRITTEN QUESTION E-3947/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Wine production methods.
Date: 2000-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: bovine spongiform encephalopathy, health legislation, health risk, infectious disease, organic product, vinification

C 261 E/16

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.9.2001

(2001/C 261 E/015)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3947/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Wine production methods

Will the Commission confirm that in certain wine-producing Member States it is the practice to use
products made from dried blood in order to clarify wine?

Will the Commission also confirm that such blood may come from cattle?

Does it believe there is any risk of contamination if such blood were to come from BSE infected herds?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2001)

The list of substances which may be used for the clarification of wine is laid down in Annex IV of Council
regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine (1). As
blood is not included in this list, it may not be used for this purpose.

In relation to the general point of the safety of bovine blood with respect
to bovine spongiform
encephalopathy, the Scientific Steering Committee has considered the point of the safety of ruminant
blood with respect to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy risks. While it recommended the avoid-
ance of slaughter techniques causing the dispersion of potentially contaminated brain material in the blood
stream, such as pithing, it did not recommend the removal of ruminant blood from the human food chain.
Pithing has since been prohibited by Commission Decision 2000/418/EC of 29 June 2000 regulating the
use of material presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and amending
Decision 94/474/EC (2).

(1) OJ L 271, 21.10.1999.
(2) OJ L 158, 30.6.2000.

(2001/C 261 E/016)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3996/00

by Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 December 2000)

Subject: Different membership fees charged by regional IHKs in Germany

1.
Is the Commission aware that the more than 80 Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in
Germany, falling under the umbrella Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHT),
require different levels of contribution from their participating undertakings?

2.

3.

Is the Commission also aware that these differences amount to as much as 300 %?

Does the Commission share the view that competition or cartel regulations are affected?

Does the Commission consider that action needs to be taken regarding the huge differences in

4.
contributions?

5.
In a letter dated 11 April 2000, the (cid:145)Verband innovativer Kfz-Unternehmer und Handelsvertreter e.V.(cid:146)
(Association of Innovative Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Trade Representatives) (VIKH) called for the
forwarding of an individual exemption, or a negative clearance, for the application of different IHK
member contributions. On what grounds is the Commission refusing to deliver the documentation or
delaying in doing so, or alternatively, why has it still not taken the matter into consideration?