WRITTEN QUESTION E-0862/01 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Foot and mouth disease.
Date: 2001-03-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: South Africa, beef, foot-and-mouth disease, fresh meat, health control, health legislation, import, pigmeat, third country

C 115 E/2

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

Commitments

Decommitments

Payments

12 574 617

120 368 000

0

0

10 059 694

99 828 800

429 000

− 122 000

214 500

21 735 190

12 968 260

44 951 788

0

0

0

15 474 153

10 374 608

38 936 653

5 858 340

− 246 108

4 359 200

3 284 000

93 321 000

0

0

2 627 200

54 308 400

(2002/C 115 E/002)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0862/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 March 2001)

Subject: Foot and mouth disease

1. Will the Commission state which countries that are trading partners of the EU currently have clear
evidence of the existence of foot and mouth disease among cloven-hooved animals?

2. What action is taken to ensure that infected meat is not imported into the EU?

At what point was the Commission first aware of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in South

3.
Africa, and at what point did it introduce measures to deal with the threat of contagion?

4. What accounts for the delay?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2001)

Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972, on health and veterinary inspection problems upon
importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, meat and meat products from third
countries (1) lays down the basic animal health import conditions. On this basis a number of specific
Commission Decisions laying down the specific animal health conditions and veterinary certification for
these animals and products have been adopted following advice from the Standing Veterinary Committee.

Council Decision 79/542/EEC of 21 December 1976 lays down a list of third countries from which
Member States authorize imports of bovine animals, swine and fresh meat (2) and other products in
accordance with Directive 72/462/EEC. As regards foot and mouth disease (FMD), only South American
and Southern African countries are relevant with regard to meat and meat products. Specific rules are laid
down for imports from the listed countries which either experience outbreaks of foot and mouth in parts
of the country, and/or where vaccination is practised. Imports of domestic animals from these countries
into the Community is not permitted.

The animal health conditions and veterinary certification are laid down for these countries in Commission
Decision 93/402/EEC of 10 June 1993 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certification for
imports of fresh meat from South American countries (3) and Commission Decision 1999/283/EC of
12 April 1999 concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh
meat from certain African countries (4),

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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and provide for the following concerning foot and mouth disease:

> that holdings/areas of origin of the animals to be slaughtered in order that their meat is exported to

the Community have been FMD-free for a certain period of time;

> de-boning and maturation of meat, which has been shown scientifically to ensure that should any
FMD virus be present it would be destroyed by this process. This has been shown to be effective in
practice over the last 30 years.

In addition the Commission (Food and Veterinary Office) carries out on-the-spot missions in these
countries to ensure that these provisions are properly implemented.

The outbreak was confirmed in a pig farm near Durban in South Africa on 17 September 2000 and the
Commission was informed on 18 September 2000. A detailed report was received from the Veterinary
Authorities of South Africa on 20 September 2000 which was forwarded to the Chief Veterinary Officers
of the Member States.

In spite of the fact that imports of pig meat are not authorised from South Africa export certification of all
fresh meat from susceptible species was immediately and automatically suspended as the veterinary
certification laid down in Commission Decision 1999/283/EC could no longer be signed by the Veterinary
Authorities of South Africa.

There was no delay.

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972.
(2) OJ L 146, 14.6.1979.
(3) OJ L 179, 22.7.1993.
(4) OJ L 110, 28.4.1999.

(2002/C 115 E/003)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1594/01

by Luckas Vander Taelen (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Gare du Luxembourg, Brussels, and the free movement of services

The Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belge (SNCB) has awarded a contract to the AEL-GROUP
T-Tractabel consortium to draw up designs relating to the ‘Gare du Luxembourg’ in Brussels in connection
with construction of the projected D4 and D5 buildings in the Place du Luxembourg. The SNCB, acting in
its capacity as owner, has applied to the Region of Brussels > Capital (municipality of Ixelles) for a
planning certificate authorising the station renovation works (application registered on 28 April 1998) for
which it is the contracting authority.

Council Directive 92/50/EEC (1) of 18 June 1992 relating to the coordination of procedures for the award
of public service contracts must be respected by all contracting authorities within the meaning of Directive
71/305/EEC (2) and any obstacles to the free movement of services must be avoided.

Can the Commission establish whether the SNCB issued an invitation to tender for the provision of
services concering design and renovation work for the Gare du Luxembourg in accordance with the
provisions of Directive 92/50/EEC?

(1) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 185, 16.8.1971, p. 5.

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 2002)

According to the information transmitted by the Belgian authorities and the parties involved, the SNCB
was not one of the signatories of the design contract for renovation work at the ‘Gare de Luxembourg’ in
Brussels, as this was concluded between the SA Forum Leopold (private developer) and Tractabel. Whilst it