WRITTEN QUESTION E-0823/02 by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Evaluation of plant protection product safety.
Date: 2002-03-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, Italy, consumer protection, hormone, market approval, plant health legislation, plant health product, plant health treatment, product safety, restriction on competition

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/221

(2002/C 205 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0823/02

by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 March 2002)

Subject: Evaluation of plant protection product safety

Is the Commission aware that the absence of an evaluation of plant protection product safety has led to
uncertainty amongst both consumers and farmers?

By when does it expect to have completed the safety evaluation?

How does it assess the distortions of competition and the uncertainty amongst consumers and farmers to
which this situation has given rise?

Plant protection product residues were found in various types of fruit in Baden-Württemberg. A number of
farmers admitted to buying plant protection products in Italy, where, it is claimed, the active substances
can be bought at a seventh or even, in some cases, a tenth of their German price and active substances no
longer authorised for use in Germany can be bought without any problem. It has been pointed out,
however, that fruit from trees and bushes treated with such products can be marketed in any Member
State, putting German farmers at a disadvantage. On the one hand, they are not allowed to use all
pesticides, which could result in lower quality crops, and, on the other hand, they have to pay substantially
more for plant protection products authorised for use in Germany. The end products are in direct
competition with each other on the foodstuffs market.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2002)

The Commission is fully aware that the review of plant protection products should proceed as quickly as
possible in order to ensure that only products which meet the high safety requirements of Council
Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the
market (1) can remain on the market. In its Report to Council and Parliament made in June 2001 (2) the
Commission has addressed the reasons for delay and has proposed measures to finalise the review in 2008.

For the aspects concerning distortions of competition, the Commission would like to refer the Honourable
Member to the answer given to written question P-0567/02 by Mr Langen (3).

(1) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.
(2) COM(2001) 444 final.
(3) OJ C 160 E, 4.7.2002, p. 223.

(2002/C 205 E/242)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0825/02

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 March 2002)

Subject: Jim Currie

The decision by Jim Currie, former Director-General of DG Environment, to join the board of British
Nuclear Funds Ltd just four months after stepping down from his position, is bound to cause concerns
about possible conflicts of interest, will create the impression that DG Environment is too close to
industry, and will call into question the Commission’s impartiality in determining environmental policy.