WRITTEN QUESTION P-2194/01 by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Damage to the meat sector caused by BSE.
Date: 2001-07-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU action, State aid, beef, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, public awareness campaign, slaughter of animals, trading operation, veterinary legislation

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/213

the fishing opportunities that existed prior to 1983 and ensure the continuity of that distribution over
this method is not contrary to the principle of non-
time. The Court of
discrimination.

Justice has ruled (2)

that

As the Commission stated in its green paper on the future of the common fisheries policy (3), there is no
need to radically change the existing system, in view of the results achieved to date in the allocation of
quotas.

(1) OJ L 389, 31.12.1992.
(2)
(3) COM(2001) 135 final.

Judgement of 16 June 1987, Case 46/86, ECR 1987, p. 2 671.

(2002/C 40 E/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2192/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 July 2001)

Subject: State of affairs regarding the Multiannual Guidance Plans for fisheries

What is the current state of affairs regarding the implementation of the Multiannual Guidance Plans
(MGPs) relating to the various Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2001)

The multi-annual guidance programmes (MAGP) for the fishing fleets fix annual capacity and fishing effort
objectives that must be met in all fleet segments. A comparison of the current situation with the objectives
in all segments for all Member States therefore represents a large amount of detailed information.

For this reason, Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down
the detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector (1)
requires the Commission to present an annual report to the Council and to the Parliament on the results of
the MAGP. The Commission has prepared the report on the results of the MAGP IV at the end of 2000,
which will be submitted to the Council and to the Parliament in the coming weeks.

(1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2002/C 40 E/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2194/01

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Damage to the meat sector caused by BSE

(17 July 2001)

In response to the alarm aroused in Europe by the cases of (cid:145)mad cow disease(cid:146) and the damage caused, the
European Commission granted a series of subsidies to producers of
in order to
compensate them for the losses they were suffering.

feed and farmers,

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

However, according to available information, it would appear that no form of aid has been granted to
those commercial sectors which depend almost exclusively on the sale of beef and sheepmeat, such as
butchers and sellers of tripe and offal, who have suffered considerable damage, in that they are highly
specialised, almost (cid:145)specialists in a craft industry(cid:146), who have been unable to diversify their range of
products, unlike what happened in various other cases.

At the worst points in the crisis the sector suffered falls in sales of 70-80 % for butchers, and almost 100 %
for sellers of tripe and offal. In view of Directives 85/374/EEC (1) and 1999/34/EC (2), the European
Parliament(cid:146)s report A4-0020/97 and Decision 283/1999/EC (3) of 25 January 1999, does the Commission
not consider that measures should be taken to compensate for these losses and alleviate the damage caused
to the sector by the BSE crisis?

(1) OJ L 210, 7.8.1985, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 141, 4.6.1999, p. 20.
(3) OJ L 34, 9.2.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written P-2013/01 by Mr Colom I
Naval (1).

(1) See p. 162.

(2002/C 40 E/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2195/01

by Giorgio Celli (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(17 July 2001)

Subject: High-speed rail network

Following countless complaints by many members of the general public and environmentalists concerning
instances of failure to implement environmental protection laws, and in the light of the latest legal cases,
which have led to various construction projects being suspended, as a precautionary measure, on the
Bologna-Florence section of the high-speed rail network in Italy.

can the Commission check that all the legal provisions concerning the environmental impact assessment of
the rail project have been complied with, in accordance with Council Directive 85/337/EEC (1)?

What information has it gathered concerning the hydrogeological damage caused by this public works
project, which benefits from European funding?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

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

(5 September 2001)

Situations which are likely to be considered as a bad application of environmental Community law by the
authorities of the Member States are normally drawn to the attention of the Commission by letters of
complaint, Parliamentary Questions and Petitions to the Petitions Committee of the Parliament. However,
situations claimed to be inconsistent with the relevant Community law need to be precisely described so as
to enable the Commission to assess them in relation to applicable Community environmental law.