WRITTEN QUESTION E-1252/01 by Carmen Cerdeira Morterero (PSE) to the Council. Aid to Namibia and fundamental rights.
Date: 2001-04-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Namibia, democratisation, human rights, rule of law

C 364 E/68

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

As those results demonstrated the capacity of such techniques for screening the adulteration of olive oil
with hazelnut oil, a shared cost action project was recently initiated (financed by Directorate General for
Research following a dedicated call published in October 1999), involving 14 laboratories from seven
Member States besides the JRC. This project aims to consolidate the preliminary results and to elaborate
other techniques. It started in January 2001 and has a duration of three years.

In addition to the project mentioned above on the determination of hazelnut oil
in olive oil, the
Commission through its Measurements and Testing generic activity also finances a project on the
determination of glycerol in wine and a project related to the development of sensors to control milk
quality and detect some specific type of milk adulteration started in February 2001 (G6RD-CT2000-00420
anti-fraude milk (cid:145)A Framilk(cid:146)).

In June 2001 the Commission will review the results of another project financed by the Standards
Measurements and Testing (SMT) programme and certify five new reference materials that are important
tools for the detection of wine chaptalisation (authentication of wines and sugars).

The JRC laboratory also has experience in the elaboration of analytical methods in the field of dairy
products. The JRC was a partner in two such shared-cost actions on the determination of added casein/
caseinate to cheese and development and validation of methods to determine the origin of milk, butter and
cheese (Fourth framework programme for research and technological development, SMT programme;
projects CT97-2208 and CT98-2236). It is not allowed to add these products to fresh cheese at all, but
they can be added to cheese preparations by up to 5 %. As those products derive from skimmed milk and
are therefore the same ingredients found in milk products, it has been demonstrated that this task is very
challenging even when very sophisticated methods are applied.

Attention is also drawn to the fact that Commission Regulation (EC) No 213/2001 of 9 January 2001
laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 as regards
methods for the analysis and quality evaluation of milk and milk products and amending Regulations (EC)
No 2771/1999 and (EC) No 2799/1999 (1) contains a comprehensive list of reference methods for the
analysis of milk and milk products under the common market organisation. This list contains methods for
the detection of adulterations developed by the Experts Group of the Management Committee for Milk and
Milk Products, e.g. methods for the detection of non-milk fat in milk fat, whey powder and buttermilk
powder in milk powder or cows(cid:146) milk in cheeses from ewes(cid:146), goats(cid:146) and buffalo(cid:146)s(cid:146) milk. Other methods are
presently being developed by the Experts Group to reinforce controls. These methods play an essential role
in the control procedures operated in the framework of the different aid schemes in the milk sector.

The JRC is currently also carrying out the validation of methods for the determination of fat content in
spreadable fats (mixtures of butter and margarine).

An overview of recent activities of the JRC in the field of food products is available from the Food
Products Unit, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection of the Joint Research Centre.

(1) OJ L 37, 7.2.2001.

(2001/C 364 E/075)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1252/01

by Carmen Cerdeira Morterero (PSE) to the Council

(27 April 2001)

Subject: Aid to Namibia and fundamental rights

Namibia is a country which benefits from European funds, being allocated a sum of € 52 million over the
period 1996-2000. The second priority of the agreement between the European Union and the Namibian
Government is the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law, as well as respect for

20.12.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/69

human rights and fundamental freedoms. What is the Council(cid:146)s view of the statements made by the
President of Namibia, Mr Sam Nujoma, and his decision to detain and deport from the country all gays
and lesbians on the grounds that Namibia(cid:146)s constitution does not allow homosexuality?

This is in breach of the values and fundamental principles of the European Union, Article 13 of the Treaty
of Amsterdam, legislation on development cooperation and the United Nations Universal Declaration on
Human Rights. Is the Council planning any action to denounce this flagrantly discriminatory measure?

Will the Council inform the Namibian Government that this decision violates fundamental human rights
and contradicts the principles and basic values of the European Union?

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Council has made a dØmarche to the Namibian authorities concerning the human rights situation in the
country. This dØmarche was followed up by the publication of a declaration by the Presidency on behalf of
the EU on human rights in Namibia. This text clearly states the EU(cid:146)s position on the threats and verbal
attacks against minorities in Namibia which the EU finds unacceptable. The EU furthermore encourages
the Government of Namibia to maintain its respect of human rights and to uphold the rule of law.

(2001/C 364 E/076)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1255/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(27 April 2001)

Subject: European Union attitude to the promotion of breast-feeding

Directive 91/321/EEC (1) of 14 May 1991 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating
to infant formulae and follow-on formulae constitutes a version of the International Code of Marketing of
Breast-Milk Substitutes drawn up by the World Health Organisation and Unicef and adopted by the World
Health Assembly in 1981.

In its Resolution 49.15, adopted in 1996, the WHO urges the adoption of accompanying measures to
prohibit the promotion of breast-milk substitutes for children under the age of six months so that mothers
are encouraged to continue breastfeeding. Under normal circumstances, a new resolution would have been
adopted last year, but the debate about the maintenance or scrapping of the six-month limit was held over
to next May(cid:146)s Assembly.

Will the Council argue at the forthcoming World Health Assembly for accompanying measures to prohibit
the promotion of breast-milk substitutes for children under the age of six months, as called for in
Resolution 49.15? If not, why will it not implement Resolution 49.15 of the World Health Organisation,
given the significance of breast-feeding for health?

(1) OJ L 175, 4.7.1991, p. 35.

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Resolution referred to by the Honourable Member of Parliament has been adopted by consensus at the
5th World Health Assembly this May. The Assembly welcomed the EU stance on this matter.