WRITTEN QUESTION E-2061/02 by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission. Controls on food products.
Date: 2002-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal disease, disease prevention, foodstuff, foot-and-mouth disease, health legislation, import, originating product, third country, veterinary legislation

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/175

Concerns about the potential environmental impact of this project have already been addressed by
4.
the Bulgarian authorities, and points raised during the public consultations have been incorporated into
the development consent procedure. The Commission will monitor
the
commitments made by the Bulgarian authorities in the course of the normal procedures for the follow-
up of projects assisted under ISPA.

the implementation of

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(2) Council Regulation (EC) 1267/1999 of 21 June 1999 establishing an Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-

accession, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2003/C 28 E/199)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2045/02

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 July 2002)

Subject: Balance sheets

Which Member States produce some sort of estimate of assets and liabilities for each sector of the
economy, including the public sector?

For those Member States that produce such a balance sheet for the public sector, will the Commission give
the latest available figures for assets, liabilities and net worth?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(9 August 2002)

Under the European System of Accounts (ESA95) transmission programme (1), all Member States are
‘Balance sheets for financial assets and liabilities, consolidated and non-
required to produce sectoral
consolidated’ save for three Member States which have a derogation. The Member States that have this
derogation are Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg (first transmission in 2005).

Some data on financial assets have been made available; those for general government have yet to be
published by Eurostat.

(1) Table 7 of Annex B of Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system of national

and regional accounts in the Community, OJ L 310, 30.11.1996.

(2003/C 28 E/200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2061/02

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(11 July 2002)

Subject: Controls on food products

What is the Commission doing to put pressure on Member States to ensure tighter controls on food
products which enter from outside the EU, in particular in relation to meat, in order to ensure we do not
see a recurrence of a disease such as Foot and Mouth?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 September 2002)

With reference to the question raised by the Honourable Member, the Commission wishes to refer to the
provisions of Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection
problems upon importation of bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from third countries (1), and
Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December 1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation
of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (2).

C 28 E/176

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

The current legal situation is to be described as follows:

(cid:1) Council Directive 72/462/EEC lays down the specific animal and public health conditions for the
importation of meat and meat

importation of meat and meat products. Under these conditions,
products is allowed only from third countries listed in Council Decision 79/542/EEC.

(cid:1) In accordance with Directive 97/78/EC all products of animal origin imported from third countries are
subject to veterinary controls at approved Border Inspection Posts (BIPs). The documentary, identity
and physical checks at BIPs are necessary to verify compliance with the aforementioned Community
animal and/or public health import requirements.

(cid:1) There are currently 287 BIPs approved, to which commercial consignments must be presented.
However there are many more ports of entry into the Union where travellers arrive from third
countries or small consignments pass through in parcels.

(cid:1) Currently Directives 72/462/EEC and 97/78/EC do not apply to meat and meat products forming part
of travellers’ personal luggage and intended for their personal consumption or sent as small packages
to private persons, in so far as the amount or quantity transported or sent does not exceed one
kilogram per person or parcel, and provided that the meat or the meat products either come from a
third country from where such imports are not prohibited and which is positively listed in accordance
with Community legislation, or have undergone a specified heat treatment, sufficient to destroy
pathogens.

Following the experience with foot and mouth disease in certain Member States in 2001, in line with the
recommendations of the International Conference on the Prevention and Control of Foot-and-Mouth
Disease held in Brussels in December 2001 and taking into account the Resolutions of the Parliament of
5 April 2001 and 13 June 2002 on controls at external borders, the Commission has prepared and
discussed with Member States a draft Regulation on interim protective measures with regard to controls of
travellers’ luggage.

These interim measures, which will be proposed in the near future, are intended to substitute the
derogations referred to above (fourth indent) by a positive list of commodities which may be carried by
travellers or sent in parcels without being subject to animal health import conditions and veterinary
controls.

In the above-mentioned proposals for interim protective measures, the Commission also requires the
competent authorities and international transport operators to provide information to travellers on the
risks associated with products of animal origin, if such products were not subjected to veterinary checks.

At the same time the message must be conveyed to the public that the implementation and enforcement
introduction of
by Member States of the envisaged measures will not prohibit the non-commercial
products of animal origin,
if these products are presented for veterinary checks in accordance with
Community legislation.

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972.
(2) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998.

(2003/C 28 E/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2068/02

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(12 July 2002)

Subject: Import of live animals from Central and East European countries

Would the Commission please tell me how many (i) calves aged less than 6 months, and (ii) lambs, were
imported into the European Union from the Central and East European countries in (a) 2000 and (b)
2001, and how many of each of these species went to each specific Member State of destination in these
two years?