WRITTEN QUESTION P-2581/01 by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission. Chlorpropham.
Date: 2001-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: food additive, foodstuff, infringement of EU law, public health, toxic substance

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/125

To that end it has set out the following three themes to provide reference points for action by the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in this area for the period 2000-2001:

" regional economies based on technological knowledge and innovation,

" new information technologies serving regional development,

" regional identity and sustainable development.

The first invitations to tender have been published and the closing dates for submitting project proposals
have passed.

1. What has been the response by the regions to this opportunity?

2.

Do the three proposals reflect the three guidelines laid down by the Commission?

3. What are the timescales for approval of the projects and hence for getting them started?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

The Commission communication of 31 January 2001 concerning the guidelines for innovative actions
under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in 2000-2006 (1) aroused very great interest
among the regions. In response to the Commission’s invitation to present a regional programme of
innovative actions by 31 May of each year until 2005, 103 of the 156 eligible regions presented a
programme in the first year and three specific network programmes were also submitted.

The breakdown among the three strategic topics shows that over two thirds of the regions presented a
programme covering both technological
the
programmes shows that overall their quality is high and that a very large number of proposed actions
have an innovative content. Moreover, these programmes have stimulated a broad partnership across the
public, private and cooperative sectors for their preparation and implementation.

innovation and the information society. Appraisal of

Individual decisions on part-financing the majority of programmes could still be taken in 2001 or at the
beginning of 2002.

(1) COM(2001) 60 final.

(2002/C 115 E/128)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2581/01

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(18 September 2001)

Subject: Chlorpropham

Foodstuffs such as potato crisps and chips are being sprayed with the toxic substance chlorpropham.
According to reports in the Danish press, this substance may cause liver and kidney cancer in humans. The
foodstuffs industry uses this substance to lighten the colour of crisps.

In the light of the above, is the Commission aware of any studies on the effects of this substance on
human health? Does it consider it justifiable to permit the continued use of a substance in food products
which are aimed in particular at children and young people, given that it may cause cancer or otherwise
harm human health?

C 115 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2001)

The Commission is not aware of the practice of spraying potato chips and crisps with chlorpropham. In
any case such a practice is prohibited under Community law, as chlorpropham is not a permitted food
additive (framework Council Directive 89/107/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the
laws of the Member States concerning food additives authorized for use in foodstuffs intended for human
consumption (1)).

However, among the chlorpropham uses as a plant growth regulator and herbicide authorised in the
treatment of potatoes in storage to suppress
Member States, an important one is the post-harvest
sprouting. The safety of chlorpropham use is currently being evaluated at Community level
in the
framework of Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 on the placing of plant protection products
on the market (2). The data evaluated were not sufficient to demonstrate one way or the other whether the
use of chlorpropham satisfied the requirements of the directive and Commission Decision 2001/134/EC of
14 February 2001 concerning the decision on the possible inclusion of certain active substances into
Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC (3) set a deadline of 31 December 2001 for the provision of the
specified additional data necessary to establish whether chlorpropham use is sufficiently safe to satisfy the
requirements of the directive.

(1) OJ L 40, 11.2.1989.
(2) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.
(3) OJ L 49, 20.2.2001.

(2002/C 115 E/129)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2585/01

by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 September 2001)

Subject: Direct relations between citizens and the Union

The Commission and more recently its President, Romano Prodi, when he addressed Parliament in
Strasbourg on 4 September, maintain that direct relations between citizens and the Union are one of the
key concerns for Europe’s future. In his speech Mr Prodi declared that communication between the EU and
its citizens left something to be desired. The European Ombudsman likewise takes exception to the
Commission’s lack of interest in citizens.

In 1998, at the time of the Cardiff Summit in the United Kingdom, the former Commission President,
Jacques Santer, and the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, were instrumental in setting up a service to
answer questions from citizens about the Union. ‘Europe Direct’, as the service is called, is also intended to
offer legal advice on any matter connected with the Union. As is common knowledge, that service has not
been available since March 2001.

Citizens rely on the telephone or e-mail to clear up their doubts. However, because the telephone lines and
e-mail archives are hopelessly overloaded, the desired information cannot always be supplied immediately.

How much importance does the Commission attach to the above initiative, and what budget is it
allocating to it? Should it not focus its efforts on activities currently in operation?

On the basis of what criteria has the contract to run Europe Direct been awarded to the TechTeam firm?

When is the Commission planning to resume the legal advisory service for all citizens of the Member
States?

What will be the Commission’s policy regarding this information service in the run-up to the accession of
new countries?