WRITTEN QUESTION P-1506/01 by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. OLAF documents relating to the butter scandal.
Date: 2001-05-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: access to EU information, butter, food safety, fraud against the EU, health risk

C 318 E/244

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

(2001/C 318 E/268)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1491/01

by Jannis Sakellariou (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Professional title of?non-medical practitioner(cid:146) in Greece

(18 May 2001)

Does a German non-medical practitioner resident in Greece require special authorisation to practise

1.
there?

Is a distinction made in Greece between the professional titles of (cid:145)non-medical practitioner(cid:146) and

2.
(cid:145)physiotherapist(cid:146)?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2001)

The two professions mentioned by the honourable Member are not common or governed in the same way
throughout the Community. In fact, according to the information at the Commission(cid:146)s disposal, the
profession of (cid:145)non-medical practitioner(cid:146) exists only in Germany, whereas the profession of (cid:145)physiotherapist(cid:146)
is regulated in all the Member States. The two professions are quite separate in the health sector.

As for the recognition of professional qualifications and diplomas, Council Directives 89/48/EEC of
21 December 1988 on a general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded on
completion of professional education and training of at least three years(cid:146) duration (1) and 92/51/EEC of
18 June 1992 on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training to
supplement Directive 89/48/EEC (1) set up a general system for recognition without prior harmonisation
(except for some health professions which are covered by some basic coordination at Community level and
by special directives (2)). One of the conditions of application of the general system for the recognition of
diplomas is that the professions existing in the Member State where the person was trained and in the
Member State where he will apply for recognition of his professional qualifications should in fact be
identical.

Lastly, there are penalties in most Member States for non-compliance with the conditions of access and the
exercise of health professions (a diploma and prior authorisation to practise are generally required for
health professions). Any queries relating to practical
information about the application of the general
system for the recognition of diplomas in the Member States should be addressed to the (cid:145)contact points for
professional recognition(cid:146)
in the relevant Member States, the addresses of which can be found on the
Commission(cid:146)s website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/qualifications/contact.htm.

(1) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989 and OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.
(2) Doctors, dentists, veterinary surgeons, nurses in general medicine and pharmacists.

(2001/C 318 E/269)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1506/01

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: OLAF documents relating to the butter scandal

(15 May 2001)

In paragraph 21 of its resolution of 14 March 2001 on combating fraud the European Parliament called, in
the interests of public health, for immediate access to be given to all documents in the possession of OLAF
containing information on the composition of the adulterated butter which for years was marketed in very
large quantities (at least 100 000 tonnes) by a criminal network inside and outside the European Union.

Can the Commission provide me with copies of the communications and/or minutes of meetings in which
representatives of the affected Member States gave their views on possible health risks resulting from the
adulterated butter, and draw up and forward a full list of completed and ongoing investigations, which also

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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indicates who commissioned the investigations and when the results were notified, or when they are
expected, and send me copies of results of investigations which have already been received?

The European Court of Auditors has apparently drawn the Commission(cid:146)s attention to problematic issues in
the milk and dairy products sector in a number of (cid:145)sectoral letters(cid:146).

Can the Commission forward to me a complete list of these sectoral letters from the past five years and,
where appropriate, make available to me its correspondence relating to these sectoral letters with the Court
of Auditors and the Member States concerned?

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2001)

I would draw the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the answer given by the Commission to her Written
Question E-3241/00 (1). The only potential health risks arising from the adulterated butter case that have
been brought to the Commission(cid:146)s attention were set out in two press releases issued by the Naples Public
Prosecutor(cid:146)s Office in July 2000 and December 2000.

The Commission has no knowledge of official communications or minutes of meetings in which
representatives of the affected Member States gave their views on possible health risks resulting from the
adulterated butter, although certain Member States have asked to be kept informed of developments in this
case. However, as already stated in the reply to Written Question E-3241/00, results of analysis carried out
by one Member State indicate that there were no chemical compounds which could present a health risk,
such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), organo-chlorine compounds or heavy metals.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has
the Member States(cid:146)
administrative investigations (in Belgium and Germany) and judicial investigations (in Italy and France).
None of these investigations have as yet been concluded.

it will monitor

indicated that

None of the DAS cases reported (Statement of Assurance), nor the special reports of the Court of Auditors,
nor sector letters, contain specific information, which would, at the time, or even with the benefit of
hindsight, have allowed the Commission to make a connection with the (cid:145)adulterated butter(cid:146) case or with
the possible existence of fraud.

The Court of Auditors during the course of its special inquiry on butterfat discovered a number of control
and administrative shortcomings, but did not find any incidence of possible fraud or similar irregularity. It
is difficult to see how, given the evidence of absence of any such comment in its reports and sector letters,
the Court had therein signalled to the Commission its concerns regarding
it can be claimed that
(cid:145)adulterated butter(cid:146).

The Court of Auditors sectoral letters are provisional audit documents sent by the Court to the bodies
audited on a confidential basis. The Commission may therefore not divulge them. The Court of Auditors
publishes all its final conclusions in its special or annual reports.

(1) OJ C 151 E, 22.5.2001.

(2001/C 318 E/270)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1509/01

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 May 2001)

Subject: Antibiotic Research

There is a growing problem of resistance to antibiotics in many EU countries. In order for laboratory based
research to be carried out, academics must have access to antibiotic powder. In many cases, however,
pharmaceutical companies will only provide antibiotic powder to researchers if the researchers give
a written undertaking not to public their research results without prior permission from the phar-