WRITTEN QUESTION P-0327/02 by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Equal affair.
Date: 2002-02-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU employment policy, EU programme, access to information, exchange of information, legal action, provision of documents, work

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/209

(2002/C 160 E/268)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0325/02

by Rosemarie Müller (PSE) to the Commission

(6 February 2002)

Subject: Noni juice and the Novel Foods Regulation

A firm in Germany sells noni juice via the Internet. The German Federal Institute for Consumer Health
Protection and Veterinary Medicine (BgVV) prohibited noni on 13 February 2001 on the grounds that
juice falls within the scope of the Novel Foods Regulation. The noni fruit has been known for
noni
centuries in French Polynesia, from where it has probably long been exported in substantial quantities. If
French Polynesia, which is part of the European Union, has for many years, indeed since before entry into
force of the Novel Foods Regulation, been exporting noni fruit ‘in considerable quantities’ to other EU
Member States, and if noni has been placed on the market ‘in considerable quantities’ for some time
already, will the Commission state whether noni should actually be classified as a novel food or whether it
should in fact be classified as a medicinal product because manufacturers make health claims on their
labels?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2002)

The Pacific territories of France are not part of the Union. The information which the Commission has
obtained from the Member States indicates that Morinda citrifolia was only introduced in the Community
as noni juice from 1998, i.e. after the entry into force on 15 May 1997 of Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of
the Parliament and of
food
the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel
ingredients (1).

foods and novel

Noni juice is thus a novel food within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 258/97, and it can only be
placed on the market as food after an authorisation has been granted in accordance with the Regulation.
An application for this purpose is currently being examined.

(1) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997.

(2002/C 160 E/269)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0327/02

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 February 2002)

Subject: Equal affair

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports in its issue of 24 January 2002 that documents relating to the
affair concerning the awarding of the EU employment programme Equal have disappeared from the
German Federal Ministry of Employment. For example, it appears that all the correspondence between the
Commission and the Ministry is missing from the files.

Can the Commission provide me with copies of this correspondence?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2002)

The Honourable Member’s question is a request for access to documents and will therefore be dealt with
for Employment and Social Affairs in accordance with Regulation (EC)
by the Directorate General
No 1049/2001 of the Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
Parliament, Council and Commission documents (1).

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001.