WRITTEN QUESTION E-2068/02 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission. Import of live animals from Central and East European countries.
Date: 2002-07-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Central and Eastern Europe, calf, live animal, originating product, sheep, statistics

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?

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/177

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 August 2002)

The Commission has no information on the age of the imported calves.

However, based upon the weight criterion of live bovine animals, the following break-down appears for
the years 2000 and 2001 on Community imports from Central and East European countries:

Community imports in heads

Germany

Greece

Spain

Italy

Netherlands

Austria

Bovines less then 80 kg

Bovines 80-160 kg

Bovines 160-300 kg

2000

2001

57 989

41 084

2000

7 589

2001

8 750

7 039

466

7249

11 884

10 600

374

200

2000

2001

40 807

31 717

549

23 574

26 000

493

230 917

223 448

17 017

27 080

79 168

57 165

2 068

132

5006

679

125

878

14

986

271

212

Total EUR 15

298 611

276 787

37 668

47 522

153 498

107 444

The import data from Central and East European countries for lambs are as follows:

Community imports in heads

2000

2001

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Italy

32 909

68 476

454 012

619 812

6 315

1 614

2 184

660

1 047 855

1 185 898

Total EUR 15

1 542 705

1 877 030

(2003/C 28 E/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2086/02

by Enrique Barón Crespo (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Comprehensive treatment plan for diabetics

(12 July 2002)

On Parliament’s initiative, diabetes was included in the Sixth Framework Programme for Research as one
of the medical conditions to be worked on. Since there are an estimated 19 million known diabetics in the
EU (and probably a further 6 million undiagnosed), does the Commission not think that there is a need for
a specific comprehensive priority plan (involving harmonisation of
the individual Member States’
regulations) relating to the disease which, in Europe, causes one death every six minutes?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 2002)

Although diabetes is one of the large public health problems facing Europe, Article 152 of the EC Treaty
limits the competence of the Community in the field of public health by stating that Community action in
the field of public health shall fully respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the organisation