WRITTEN QUESTION P-0550/01 by Dirk Sterckx (ELDR) to the Commission. Impounding of Belgian ham in Portugal in the wake of the dioxin crisis.
Date: 2001-02-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Portugal, evaluation method, food inspection, food safety, free movement of goods, meat product, toxic substance, trade dispute

C 235 E/226

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Consequently, the charges in question do appear to be taxes with equivalent effect to customs duties on
import, which are incompatible with Articles 23, 25 and 133 of the EC Treaty (formerly Articles 9, 12 and
113), and the Commission intends to continue the proceedings initiated against Greece.

(2001/C 235 E/264)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0550/01

by Dirk Sterckx (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 February 2001)

Subject: Impounding of Belgian ham in Portugal in the wake of the dioxin crisis

In 1999, the Portuguese authorities impounded a number of deliveries of ham from a Flemish company
which bore a date which gave grounds for suspecting that they might be contaminated with dioxin.
Similar products held in stock from the same period were tested and analysed for dioxin contamination.
Unlike the authorities in other countries, the Portuguese authorities have never adopted the method of
testing samples. In the interim, the goods have been declared unfit for human consumption and actually
had to be destroyed. The company involved is not eligible for the aid made available in Belgium for the
destruction of products from the suspect period because the final date for applications for such aid has
passed.

Is the Commission aware of the attitude of the Portuguese authorities to the Belgian method of testing and
analysing samples? Is it acceptable that, because of the attitude of the Portuguese authorities, the products
have now been declared unfit for human consumption and the company involved can no longer destroy
them and claim the aid made available in Belgium for the destruction of products from the suspect period?
How many complaints has the Commission received to date about measures taken by Member States
against Belgian products in the wake of the dioxin crisis?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2001)

The Commission has been informed on a number of occasions about a persistent problem with batches of
animal foodstuffs originating from Belgium which were delivered to Portugal during the dioxin crisis. The
Member States concerned also drew attention to this problem at the meeting of the Standing Veterinary
Committee on 4 April 2000. As can be seen from the report of this meeting published on the Internet (1),
the Commission was unable to find a solution to this problem and has urged the two parties to reach
a compromise. Even though this matter arose in connection with the implementation of Community
measures taken during the dioxin crisis, it is in fact a trade dispute between two private companies. Both
of
the Member States involved have defended their national undertakings by attaching a different
interpretation to the sampling required in order to settle the dispute.

To date, the Commission has received 166 complaints about measures taken by Member States against
Belgian products in the wake of the dioxin crisis.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/svc/index_en.html.

(2001/C 235 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0571/01

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 February 2001)

Subject: Communication of confidential information by the Commission

Article 197 of the EC Treaty constitutes the legal basis for controls on the Commission by the European
Parliament and its Members. If necessary, this covers the communication of confidential information by the
Commission.