WRITTEN QUESTION E-1383/02 by António Campos (PSE) to the Commission. Food products containing novelties.
Date: 2002-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accident in the home, child, confectionery product, market approval, product safety

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/211

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2002)

According to Article 7 (3) of Directive 1999/2/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 22 February
1999 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning foods and food ingredients
treated with ionising radiation, the Member States shall forward to the Commission each year:

) the results of checks carried out in the irradiation facilities, in particular regarding the categories and

quantities of products treated and the dose administered, and

) the results of checks carried out at the product marketing stage and information on the methods used

to detect irradiated foods.

The Directive does not require the submission of information on the quantities of irradiated foods which
are put on the internal market or which are exported to third countries.

For the first report, the Commission requested the Member States to submit the information for the period
of 20 September 2000 (date of applicability of the provisions of the Directive) to 31 December 2001. The
Commission will compile the report and publish it in the Official Journal of the Communities.

Information about food irradiation is available on the following web site of Directorate General Health and
Consumer Protection of the Commission: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/sfp_index_en.html.

(2002/C 229 E/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1383/02

by António Campos (PSE) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: Food products containing novelties

Suffocation in children is mainly due to small and attractive objects,
including balls, coins, small
components and non-comestible items (novelties) in food products. Studies in Greece, Germany and Israel
confirm that food products containing non-comestible objects are inherently dangerous and that labelling
alone is not enough to eliminate the risk of death. It has been calculated that 2 000 injuries are caused in
the EU every year by non-comestible objects included in food products intended for children. It was
established that four main characteristics should be taken into account when assessing the safety of these
products: size, compressibility, flexibility and shape. Modifying the products in order to meet the criteria
and the existence of legislation to ascertain compliance have been successful in reducing the number of
fatal accidents. Banning the sale of non-comestible objects in food products has considerably reduced
infant mortality in countries such as the United States, Australia and Malaysia.

Does the Commission intend to legislate on this matter in the near future?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2002)

The Honourable Member should refer to the Commission’s joint answer to Written Questions E-1008/02
by Mr Casaca and E-1218/02 by Mr Cunha (1).

(1) OJ C 205 E, 29.8.2002, p. 245.