WRITTEN QUESTION E-1382/02 by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Checks on ionising radiation facilities and the foodstuffs and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation.
Date: 2002-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, European Commission, approximation of laws, exchange of information, export, foodstuff, irradiated product, irradiation, marketing

C 229 E/210

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2002)

All the applicant countries have agreed to take over the acquis of Council Directive 91/477/EEC of
18 June 1991 on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons (1). In general, as in the Member
States, the applicant countries already have provisions which are stricter than the minimum provisions laid
down by Directive 91/477/EEC, as regards banned weapons and those which must be authorised or
declared.

On the basis of the transposition work being carried out in all the applicant countries, the Commission has
noted that most of the difficulties encountered relate to finalising the texts on the procedures for the
transfer of weapons, and particularly the introduction of the European firearms pass. In accordance with
the undertakings given by the applicant countries, this work should be completed by the date of their
accession. In order to ensure that this is the case, the Commission is closely monitoring the progress of
this work within the framework set up by the pre-accession strategy.

(1) OJ L 256, 13.9.1991.

(2002/C 229 E/242)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1382/02

by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: Checks on ionising radiation facilities and the foodstuffs and food ingredients treated with ionising

radiation

Article 7(3) of Directive 1999/2/EC (1) of the European 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 states that:

[…] the Member States shall forward to the Commission every year:

9 the results of checks carried out in the ionising irradiation facilities, in particular regarding the

categories and quantities of products treated and the doses administered,

9 the results of checks carried out at the product marketing stage. […].

Can the Commission say:

1. What quantities of each type of foodstuff and food ingredient allowed to be treated with ionising
radiation were irradiated in 2001 in the 6 Member States which have facilities licensed to carry out
this type of
treatment. What quantities of these foodstuffs and food ingredients were destined
respectively for the European Union’s internal market and for export outside the EU;

2. Which Member States carried out, in 2001, checks at the product marketing stage in order to detect:
(a) the possible presence on their territory of foodstuffs and food ingredients whose treatment with
ionising radiation they do not allow; (b) whether the foodstuffs and food ingredients treated with
ionising radiation were labelled in accordance with Article 6 of Directive 1999/2;

3. How many checks were carried out and what their results were?

(1) OJ L 66, 13.3.1999, p. 16.

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:

9 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

9 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.