WRITTEN QUESTION E-2199/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Soil standards and biowaste.
Date: 2001-07-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, drafting of EU law, environmental policy, soil analysis, waste management

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/77

11 do not currently include specific rules on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The Article 19
Joint Veterinary Committee has decided to incorporate these rules. This will be done as soon as the
agreements come into force.

The Swiss authorities have, however, set up an extensive arsenal of anti-BSE measures since 1990. This
process was supplemented in spring 1999 with the introduction of an active BSE-monitoring system based
on the use of rapid tests for the detection of BSE. This measure has also been taken up at Community level
to improve the monitoring systems already in existence within the Community. The Commission’s Food
and Veterinary Office undertakes regular inspection missions to Switzerland in order to audit the system
set up by the Swiss authorities and assess its effectiveness.

As with all third countries, imports from Switzerland are governed by Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control
and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (1). In particular, this Regulation
provides that imported products of animal origin should be accompanied by a health certificate testifying
that they contain neither specified risk material nor mechanically separated ruminant meat. It also provides
that the import of live bovine animals requires a health certificate testifying that the feeding of ruminants
with protein derived from mammals has been banned and that this ban has been effectively enforced, and
furthermore that the bovines in question are identified by means of a permanent identification system and
are not the descendants of BSE-suspected females.

(1) OJ L 147 31.5.2001.

(2002/C 93 E/095)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2199/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(23 July 2001)

Subject: Soil standards and biowaste

The Commission has published two outlines of a proposed draft directive on the biological treatment of
biowaste, but it has now been suggested that this work may be superseded and overtaken by preparation
of a draft directive on soil standards.

Will the Commission indicate its thinking about the development of policy in these areas, its priorities and
its outline timetable for publication of further outlines and final proposals?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2001)

With the adoption of the Communication on the Sixth Environment Action Programme (6 EAP) ‘2001-
2010: Our future, our choice’ (1), the Commission has indicated a number of areas for priority action in
the environmental field. One of these is how to enhance the protection of soil in the Community. The
Commission is currently working on a Communication on soil which it is anticipated may be adopted by
the Commission during the first half of 2002. At present, Community action specifically aimed at soil is
limited (e.g. Sewage Sludge Directive) (2) and there is little information at Community level on the state of
soils. The forthcoming Communication will consider soil functions, degradation processes and current
policies while outlining some options for the future to be debated with the Parliament, the Council and
stakeholders.

(1) COM(2001) 31 final.
(2) Council Directive 86/278/EEC of 12 June 1986 on the protection of the environment and in particular of the soil,

when sewage sludge is used in agriculture @ OJ L 181, 4.7.1986.