WRITTEN QUESTION E-2129/02 by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) to the Commission. Honey, bees and systemic insecticides.
Date: 2002-07-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agricultural situation, apiculture, honey, insecticide, plant health legislation, plant health treatment, protection of animal life, raw chemical industry

C 52 E/132

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

(2003/C 52 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2129/02

by Luciana Sbarbati (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 July 2002)

Subject: Honey, bees and systemic insecticides

An article entitled ‘Dove sono finite le api’ (where have all the bees gone) which was published on the
front page of the newspaper ‘La Repubblica’ on Saturday, 29 June 2002 stated that French bee-keepers
have asked the Commission to block the distribution of systemic insecticides, the active molecules of
which are incorporated into plant seeds and spread as the plant grows: they therefore have a progressive
effect (the more the plant grows, the greater the effect).

The molecule at issue, Imidacloprid, is produced by the Bayer pharmaceutical company and is lethal for
bees, even in minute doses. This molecule is incorporated into wheat, maize, sunflower and other seeds.
Insecticides containing the molecule first appeared on the Italian market ten year ago.

These insecticides are harming not just the bee population itself: honey production is apparently down by
as much as one third, and honey prices are rising to compensate for the loss of production. There has
been no response to the large number of complaints made by European bee-keepers, despite the steady
deterioration in the situation as more and more bees are killed by the insecticide.

Given the above, can the Commission state whether:

(cid:1) it is aware of the existence of the above molecule produced by Bayer and of the use being made of it

in farming, with the effects referred to in ‘La Repubblica’;

(cid:1) any studies have been conducted with a view to reassuring consumers about the possibility of traces

of the molecule being found in honey and posing a threat to human health;

(cid:1) it would agree that it should block the distribution of systemic insecticides, the active molecules in
which are incorporated into plant seeds and spread as the plant grows, with particular reference those
containing the molecule Imidacloprid, given that bees are of essential importance to farming and to
society in that they pollinate almost all plants?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(12 September 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written P-1804/02 by Mr Souchet (1)

(1) OJ C 309 E, 12.12.2002, p. 163.

(2003/C 52 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2164/02

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 July 2002)

Subject: Curved bananas

Given the recent confirmation by two British courts that EU rules on acceptable levels of curvature in
bananas and cucumbers is unenforceable, could the Commission indicate whether it intends to take any
action to ensure the enforcement of these rules in the UK? Could the Commission also say why the
London office of the Commission has repeatedly denied the existence of legislation from the EU governing
the shape of fruit and vegetables and characterised such claims as ‘scare-stories’ and ‘Euro-myths’?