WRITTEN QUESTION E-1222/01 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Badgers and TB.
Date: 2001-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal life, animal tuberculosis, disease vector, food safety, livestock

C 350 E/94

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

In recent years several Member States have introduced a model registration plate which, on the extreme
left, displays a blue zone containing 12 yellow stars representing the European flag plus the distinguishing
sign of the Member State of registration, the so called Euro Plate.

Because some Member States did not recognise the distinguishing sign on the Euro plate Council
Regulation (EC) No 2411/98 of 3 November 1998 on the recognition in intra-Community traffic of the
distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered (1) was
adopted. The purpose of the Regulation is to give equal status,
to the
distinguishing signs contained within the Euro plates and the distinguishing signs required by the Vienna
Convention.

in intra-Community traffic,

This is the only Community legislation on the subject of registration plates. Given the success of the
Vienna Convention, the Commission has no plans to propose legislation harmonising national registration
plates, and therefore to consider the question of regional or any other signs being included in them.

(1) OJ L 299, 10.11.1998.

(2001/C 350 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1222/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(26 April 2001)

Subject: Badgers and TB

Can the Commission indicate if it has carried out any studies into whether or not badgers spread TB?

If it has, can the Commission say what the results of such studies were?

If not, can the Commission indicate whether it has any plans to carry out any studies?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(29 June 2001)

The Commission is aware that badgers are suspected of spreading tuberculosis. Studies into whether or not
and how badgers spread tuberculosis have been carried out by the British Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food (MAFF). Studies and reports (Krebs report) are published on MAFF(cid:146)s website (www.maff.gov.uk/
animalh/tb).

The evidence so far strongly supports the view that, in the United Kingdom, badgers are a significant
source of infection in cattle. It is not however possible to state quantitatively what contribution badgers
make to cattle infection. Other wild life species also carry the disease, and the possibility of some
contribution from these species cannot be ignored.

The Commission is currently funding FAIR-CT98-4373 (cid:145)Concerted Action for the setting up of a European
veterinary network on diagnosis, epidemiology and research of mycobacterial diseases(cid:146). One of
the
workshops held in the framework of this concerted action was (cid:145)Tuberculosis and Wildlife(cid:146) which took
place on 23-25 March 2000 in Dublin. Several aspects of tuberculosis in badgers were addressed at this
workshop. Information on this concerned action is available at http://www.ucm.es/info/venom/.

With reference to Action 29 listed in the Action plan on Food Safety (1) a task force was created in 2000
for monitoring disease eradication in the Member States. Subgroups of
the Task force have been
important co-financed diseases (sheep and goat brucellosis, bovine
established for the three most

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/95

brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis). The objectives of these subgroups are to support Member States in
their attempts to develop and implement optimal disease eradication measures. It is planned to discuss this
subject in one of the next tuberculosis sub-group meetings.

(1) COM(1999) 719 final.

(2001/C 350 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1223/01

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(26 April 2001)

Subject: The case of Vinh Binh Trinh in Vietnam

Is the Commission aware of the case of Mr Vinh Binh Trinh, a Dutch citizen who was convicted in
Vietnam for illegal investment in 1998, the circumstances of whose arrest and conviction were dubious, to
say the least?

Does the Commission share the concern that cases like this may scare off other potential European
investors and also that they may have a negative impact on relations between Vietnam and the European
Union?

Will the Commission urge the Vietnamese authorities to reconsider the case of Mr Trinh, as they did last
year with respect to similar cases concerning Canadian, Thai and Laotian investors?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2001)

The Commission has been informed that Mr Vinh Binh Trinh was convicted in the first instance by the Ba
Ria (cid:129) Vung Tau People(cid:146)s Court to 13 years of imprisonment and severe fines on charges of bribery and
violation of the regulations on land management and protection. Mr Trinh appealed the decision of the
Vung Tau People(cid:146)s Court to the People(cid:146)s Supreme Court of Ho Chi Minh City. The case was heard on 4 and
5 May 1999, when the Court upheld the decision of the Court of first instance, at the same time reducing
the prison sentence to 11 years. Mr Trinh was awarded bail on medical grounds, but failed to report at
Vung Tai prison by the due date of 30 September 1999. It is reported that he has fled the country for
Thailand.

The Commission is not in a position to make any comment on the conduct of the case. It understands that
Mr Trinh received consular assistance initially from the Dutch Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and
subsequently from the Dutch Embassy to Vietnam, and has been advised to consider the available options
of a further appeal, which is open to him under Article 242 of the Criminal Law of Vietnam, or a request
for grace on humanitarian grounds. An appeal must be lodged in person and, since the warrant for his
detention remains in force, Mr Trinh would face immediate imprisonment should he return to Vietnam.

The other cases referred to in the question apparently concern individuals who have been granted early
release under general amnesties for serving prisoners. Such amnesties do not apply to persons who are not
in prison.

The Commission is not aware that the case of Mr Trinh has had any impact on European investment in
Vietnam or on relations between Vietnam and the Union. Together with other donors, the Commission
regularly participates in the ongoing dialogue between foreign investors and the Government of Vietnam,
where the various concerns of investors are fully discussed.
In this context, concerns about certain
elements of corruption in Vietnam have been raised, and both investors and donors have expressed
support for the efforts of the Government of Vietnam to deal with this problem.