WRITTEN QUESTION E-1445/02 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The extent of the Commission ban on the importation of selected Chinese food products.
Date: 2002-05-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, animal product, foodstuff, import restriction, originating product, public health, veterinary drug

C 277 E/206

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

The objectives of the water framework directive include at least two items of relevance to the situation as
described in the written question: to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters,
transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater which:

(a) promotes sustainable water use based on a long-term protection of available water resources and

(b) contributes to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts. The Directive should thereby contribute to
the provision of the sufficient supply of good quality surface water and groundwater as needed for
sustainable balanced and equitable water use.

The Commission has adopted on 16 April 2002 a Communication to the Council, the Parliament, the
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Towards a thematic strategy for soil
protection’ (2). This Communication addresses desertification in the context of soil degradation processes
such as erosion. The Communication acknowledges that the Mediterranean region is severely affected by
erosion. The impact on the environment, the water reservoirs and the agricultural land represents a major
threat for these regions.

In the Union drylands are mainly located in Southern Spain and Portugal, the Italian Mezzogiorno, most of
the mainland and islands in Greece and Southern France. In these regions 60 % of the land is threatened or
affected by desertification and soil degradation. Therefore these Member States have joined their efforts
within the framework of a regional annex for the Northern Mediterranean in the context of the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Those Mediterranean Member States and Italy in particular,
in which they analyse the
have adopted National Action Programmes to combat desertification (3),
desertification process and identify actions to be undertaken.

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.
(2) COM(2002) 179 final.
(3) UN-CCD Secretariat/Italian National Action Programme: http://www.unccd.int/actionprogrammes/northmed/
national/2000/italy-eng.pdf, Comitato Nazionale Italiano per la lotta alla siccità e alla desertificazione: http://
www.desertification.it/.

(2002/C 277 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1445/02

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 May 2002)

Subject: The extent of the Commission ban on the importation of selected Chinese food products

The Commission recently banned a number of food imports from China, including fish, honey and poultry
because of the lack of confidence in the validity of export certificates which are supposed to guarantee the
safety of these products. Can the Commission indicate the particular areas of concern and whether
progress has been made in ensuring that any future imports of these products will be properly checked by
the Chinese authorities?

Could the Commission also confirm that the ban has been extended to catches of shrimp by Chinese
vessels operating in International Waters and landed directly onto Community ports, and, if that is correct,
to explain the justification for extending the ban in this way?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2002)

On 30 January 2002, the Commission banned a series of products of animal origin from China intended
for human consumption or for animal feed use.

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/207

This decision was taken following many findings of fishery products contaminated with prohibited drugs
such as chloramphenicol and following an inspection mission of the Food and Veterinary Office in China
from 8 to 22 November 2001. This inspection visit revealed a regrettable non-observance of
the
commitments and guarantees provided to the Commission as regards the control of residues and
substances which present a risk to human and animal health.

This safeguard measure aimed at protecting public health is temporary and will be reviewed when the
Chinese authorities provide guarantees that the products exported to the Community meet Community
sanitary requirements. So far some progress has been made and Commission experts recently visited China
to discuss and evaluate the new measures put in place by the Chinese authorities.

All crustaceans were first included in the ban due to a possible confusion between wild and aquaculture
products, the latter being suspected of contamination. A first amendment to the Decision has already been
adopted by the Commission on 10 June 2002 (1) allowing the importation of low risk products such as
shrimps caught by Chinese vessels in the Atlantic Ocean and landed direct in Community ports. A second
amendment extending the list of fish species which may be imported has just been given a favourable
opinion by the Standing Committee responsible in this area, and will be adopted by the Commission once
the normal procedure has been completed.

(1) OJ L 151, 11.6.2002.

(2002/C 277 E/227)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1447/02

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 May 2002)

Subject: Future of milk quotas

There is concern in the dairy sector about the possible dismantling of the milk quota system, which
guarantees producers adequate prices. The system’s disappearance could lead to a major fall in prices and
therefore in producers’ incomes.

Has the Commission carried out any study of the impact on the Community market which the

1.
abolition of the quota system might have?

2.

If not, does it intend to assess the consequences of such a step in the near future?

Has the Commission investigated what the real cost-benefit relationship of abolishing the quota

3.
system would be?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 June 2002)

Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1256/1999 of 17 May 1999 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3950/
92 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector (1), which adjusts the milk quota
arrangements laid down in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 of 28 December 1992 (2), states: ‘The
Council undertakes to conduct a mid-term review in 2003, on the basis of a Commission report, with the
aim of allowing the present quota arrangements to run out after 2006.’

With a view to drafting this report, several scenarios are currently being examined. The outcome of this
analysis will be set before Parliament and the Council in the Mid-Term Review planned for July 2002.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 405, 31.12.1992.