WRITTEN QUESTION E-1264/01 by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission. Additives in organic food.
Date: 2001-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: food additive, labelling, organic farming, organic product

C 350 E/106

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

(cid:129) the difference is significant as regards compliance with the law and the swiftness of legal procedures.

Can the Commission state:

(cid:129) which language version is authentic;

(cid:129) what steps it intends to take to deal with this problem and how soon;

(cid:129) whether this state of affairs might not give rise to breaches of the rules underpinning competition

policy and the single market.

(1) OJ L 73, 15.3.2001, p. 38.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2001)

Like the Honourable Member, the Commission noticed that the Italian version of Article 9 of Commission
Decision 2001/208/EC of 14 March 2001 concerning certain protection measures with regard to foot-and-
mouth disease in France is indeed different from the other language versions published in the Official
Journal of the European Communities. Contrary to what the Honourable Member says in his question, the
Italian version of the above Decision does not require the consignment to be inspected by the official
veterinarian responsible; it merely requires the latter to stamp the commercial document.

It was not the Community legislator(cid:146)s intention to impose a special stamp on the document accompanying
the products to which the above Article 9 applies.

The Commission deeply regrets the error in the Italian version. It feels, however, that there would be no
point in publishing an amendment in the Official Journal, because the provisions set out in Decision 2001/
208/EC, as amended for example by Commission Decision 2001/250/EC of 29 March 2001 (1), no longer
apply since 12 April 2001.

(1) OJ L 90, 30.3.2001.

(2001/C 350 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1264/01

by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission

(26 April 2001)

Subject: Additives in organic food

Will the Commission explain why it wishes to ruin organic food production by authorising a long list of
additives?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 2001)

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products
and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (1) established the production
rules, labelling provisions and inspection rules and precautionary measures for products of agricultural
origin where such products bear or are intended to bear indications referring to the organic production
method. Specific requirements have been laid down for ingredients of non-agricultural origin contained in
food bearing indications referring to the organic production methods. In particular a limited list of
additives for food composed essentially of one or more ingredients of plant origin has been established and
very strict conditions preside to the amendment of this list according to Article 7 of Council Regulation
(EEC) No 2092/91.

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/107

With the entering into force of the provisions concerning livestock products Council Regulation (EC) No
1804/1999 of 19 July 1999 supplementing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of
agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs to include
livestock production (2), the Commission has to consider the possibility of having a harmonised list also for
additives to be used in foodstuffs composed of livestock ingredients. Presently in this sector only national
rules apply. As a first step, the Commission has tried to establish a compilation of all the substances
authorised in the 15 Member States in order to evaluate the actual situation in this field. As a second step
the Commission will propose a list of substances for specific use in food of livestock origin and discuss
this list with the Member States in the working group of the Standing Committee on Organic Farming.
The Commission(cid:146)s objective is to get a list of substances as short as possible but respecting the
particularities existing for traditional processing and preserving of organic meat or milk products in the
various Member States.

(1) OJ L 198, 22.7.1991.
(2) OJ L 222, 24.8.1999.

(2001/C 350 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1272/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(2 May 2001)

Subject: Non-compliance with Community legislation on waste water treatment

Ten years after the adoption of Community provisions on waste water treatment, some 37 towns and
cities of more than 150 000 inhabitants continue to release their waste water into the environment
without any treatment.

In addition to constituting a health hazard for the local population, this non-compliance sets a deplorable
example for candidate states wishing to join the European Union who themselves are criticised for not
harmonising their environmental legislation with that of the EU quickly enough.

Can the Commission say why it has not taken more resolute action to date against the offending parties
and what measures it now intends to adopt in order to force the latter to comply with EU provisions and
treat their waste water prior to disposal as provided for in said provisions.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2001)

The Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban wastewater treatment (1) (hereafter
the urban waste water Directive) sets clear objectives in terms of deadlines and environmental objectives to
achieve:

(cid:129) designation by the end of 1993 of sensitive areas according to criteria set out in the Directive;

(cid:129) by the end of 1998, tertiary treatment for all agglomerations above 10 000 population equivalent

(p.e.) (2) in the catchment of such sensitive areas;

(cid:129) by the end of 2000, secondary treatment for all agglomerations above 15 000 population equivalents

in the catchment (cid:145)normal(cid:146) areas (i.e. such waters not identified as sensitive);

(cid:129) by the end of 2005, secondary treatment for all remaining agglomerations within the scope of the

Directive.

It is evident that most Member States have major shortcomings with regard to all these deadlines and with
the identification of sensitive areas.