WRITTEN QUESTION E-2216/01 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Consumer choices.
Date: 2001-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal product, child labour, consumer information, consumer movement, foodstuff, labelling

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/79

(2002/C 93 E/097)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2216/01

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(24 July 2001)

Subject: Consumer choices

Since products manufactured from animal organs or using child labour are being sold in the EU, does the
Commission not consider that such products should be clearly labelled, so that consumers can choose
whether or not to buy products made from animal organs or made by children?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 2001)

There are specific provisions relating to the exclusion of Specified Risk Material including animal organs in
food and foodstuff laid down in Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 (1) and it’s implementing provisions. In
addition, the Commission recently submitted a proposal to the Member States in the Standing Committee
on Foodstuffs to make the labelling of meat based products more transparent and precise. The definition of
‘meat’ will be improved and other parts of animals for human consumption, such as offal (heart, intestine,
liver etc.) or fat, will have to be labelled.

The Commission is aware of a growing number of ethical or social labels originating from individual
manufacturers, industrial sectors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or governments. Such labels can
assist the consumer in making informed choices. However, they need to be independently verified to
ensure that the product has been manufactured without exploiting and abusing e.g. children and that
consumers are not being misled. This verification is difficult and complex to carry out.

The Commission has published a Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility (2) which aims to launch
a debate on the best means to develop, evaluate and ensure the effectiveness and reliability of corporate
social responsibility instruments such as ethical or social labels. Consumer organisations will have the
opportunity to contribute to this debate.

(1) Regulation (EC) 999/2001 of the Parliament and the Council laying down the rules for the prevention, control and

eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopothies. OJ L 147, 31.5.2001.

(2) COM(2001) 366 final.

(2002/C 93 E/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2219/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: The Euro changeover and small businesses

(24 July 2001)

As the commercial sector closest to the grass roots, small businesses have a fundamental rôle to play in
explaining the changeover to the euro on 1 January 2002 to the public. Indeed, small businesses are a key
element in the entire process of replacing national currencies with the euro, which imposes an extra effort
over and above all the enormous changes in terms of book keeping, internal and external documentation,
data processing, etc. …

Since we are talking about small and micro-undertakings, and specifically, in Portugal, it is essential that
small businesses be given proper assistance in shouldering this enormous effort and making this major
economic and social contribution ? support which strikes me as currently rather underfunded to say the
least.