WRITTEN QUESTION E-0768/01 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Turbo pigs.
Date: 2001-03-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Austria, Germany, swine, veterinary drug, veterinary inspection, veterinary legislation

C 350 E/34

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

In both instances, the current Commission has decided, in a spirit of increased transparency, to make
available on the website of Directorate General for Trade the texts of the requests for WTO consultations
and of the requests for the establishment for a WTO panel submitted by the Commission on behalf of the
Community. These documents provide a description of the measure or practice challenged in the WTO, as
well as the indication of the legal provisions which allegedly are breached.

(1) OJ L 349, 21.12.1994. A description of that regulation is also available on the website of DG Trade.

(2001/C 350 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0768/01

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Turbo pigs

What action has the Commission taken to protect European consumers in the aftermath of the (cid:145)turbo pigs(cid:146)
scandals in Austria and Germany involving revelations about the illegal use on Austrian and German pig
farms of antibiotics, growth-inducing hormones and vaccines smuggled into Europe from the Far East and
the United States, and what measures it has taken to ensure that no animal sold within the EU has been
treated with illegal substances?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2001)

Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996, on measures to monitor certain substances and residues
thereof in live animals and animal products (1) requires that Member States and third countries exporting
food of animal origin to the Community should control use, misuse and illegal use of veterinary medical
products.

Controls can be carried out by the Member States at the farm,
in the slaughterhouse or at border
inspection posts. Moreover, the Commission, through its Food and Veterinary Office, evaluates the ability
of Member States or third countries to carry out their controls through audits and inspections. Depending
on the findings of such audits and inspections, the Commission may recommend improvements, initiate
infringement procedures, delete a third country from the list of countries authorised to export food of
animal origin to the Community or apply a safeguard measure.

Therefore, the Commission considers that the current framework, if properly implemented, provides the
tools to ensure consumer protection from misuse and illegal use of veterinary medical products in food
producing animals.

(1) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996.

(2001/C 350 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0781/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Publication of an OLAF report

It is undoubtedly very much in the general interest that instances of fraud at the Commission(cid:146)s Stockholm
Information Office be fully and publicly clarified, so as to prevent further speculation.

Will the Commission publish the OLAF report on fraud at the Commission(cid:146)s Stockholm Information
Office? If not, will it state the reasons why the report is to remain secret?