WRITTEN QUESTION E-2560/02 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Conflicting concerns and views regarding the consequences for teeth and bones of fluorine intake by human beings.
Date: 2002-09-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, drinking water, fluorine, food poisoning, food safety, food supplement, foodstuffs legislation, health policy, health risk

9.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 242 E/27

However, where officials use that right to settle disagreements over lawful policies in a manner which
denigrates those policies or the Institution which employs the official concerned, then this may obviously
cause irremediable harm to the relationship of trust that must exist between the official concerned and the
Commission. This relationship of trust is not only in the interest of the service, but also in the public
interest. Writing criticism does not absolve the officials from doing their duty. When senior officials have
they are expected to take actions with others in the
the task to steer reform and modernisation,
administration to bring in the agreed reforms. The Honourable Member is no doubt aware that the Staff
Regulations contain specific provisions on the requirement that staff behave with integrity and discretion,
even after they have left the service.

5.
The Commission agrees that, irrespective of considerations of public opinion, employees with critical
views are essential for any responsible organisation to be able to identify and remedy the weaknesses
which inevitably occur in systems and structures of any degree of complexity. Various means of reporting
such weaknesses are regularly used effectively within the Commission.

6.
The Commission would refer to the answer to question No 5 above. Its organisation, its systems,
procedures and activities are under close and continuous scrutiny of the Court of Auditors, the Council,
the Parliament and the Ombudsman by virtue of the Treaty on the European Union and institutional
arrangements.

(1) COM(2000) 200 final.
(2) Adopted under No C (2002) 845.
(3) The new regime reinforces and extends the arrangement introduced in 1999 (Decision 396/1999 of 2 June 1999 (cid:1)

OJ L 149, 16.6.1999).

(2003/C 242 E/030)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2560/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 September 2002)

Subject: Conflicting concerns and views regarding the consequences for teeth and bones of fluorine intake

by human beings

1.
Is the Commission familiar with an article entitled ‘Fluorine causing early ageing among Indian
peasants’ that appeared in the Netherlands daily paper ‘De Volkskrant’ on 21 August 2002 and in which it
was reported that inhabitants of Jharana Khurd and other villages in the central part of the Indian state of
Rajasthan are showing rapid signs of ageing at a young age as a result of contracting the disease fluorosis
from the drinking of water naturally containing fluorine? Is it aware that, as reported in the article,
fluorosis gradually leads to brittle bones and teeth and a crooked back and knees, and that, whilst it is
possible to halt the process of deterioration with the help of vitamins C and E, calcium and antioxidants,
the damage cannot be reversed?

2.
Does the Commission recall that, in the 1950s and 60s, in a number of European countries, it was
argued that fluorine waste from the steel, aluminium and nuclear power industries should be used to
combat tooth decay in children by adding it to drinking water, following the example of the Americans?
Does it also recall that this proposal met with a great deal of opposition because of fears of brittle and
swollen bones, damage to the nervous system, hyperactivity in children and possibly cancer, with the result
that fluorine ultimately did not automatically become a component of drinking water?

3. What is the Commission’s view regarding the proposal announced at the end of July 2002 by the
then Belgian Minister for Public Health and the Environment to actively discourage or to prohibit the use
of fluorine in toothpaste, chewing gum, fluorine-containing food supplements for human consumption,
fluoride tablets and fluoride drops? Would implementation of this measure contravene EU rules and if so,
why?

4.
Does the Commission have information available for comparing the effects on the health of those
living in areas of the EU where the drinking water naturally contains fluorine, or where fluorine has been
added to the drinking water, with those living in areas where that is not the case? Does that lead to the
generally accepted conclusion that fluorine is in general bad for health, but that, where used only in small
quantities which are not swallowed, it can be good for teeth?

C 242 E/28

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

Does the Commission consider, based on experience to date, that it is desirable to introduce more
5.
stringent precautionary measures to prevent the occurrence of symptoms of disease caused by fluorine
naturally present in, or added to, drinking water or food?

(2003/C 242 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2639/02

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: Ban on fluoride supplements

Belgium will shortly become the first EU Member State to ban fluoride supplements. This will also make
Belgium the first country in the world to introduce such a ban. The Federal Minister of Public Health says
that he has asked the Commission to ban fluoride supplements throughout the EU. According to the
minister, the Commission has so far refused to do so. The minister also wishes to see a general ban on
fluoride at a later stage.

Does the Commission agree with the reasoning of the Belgian minister that fluoride and fluoride

1.
supplements present a risk to physical and mental health?

2. What is the Commission’s precise reason for refusing to follow Belgium’s example?

3.
The minister claims that the number of cases of fluoride poisoning is rising. Is the Commission
aware of any cases of fluoride poisoning in the EU? If so, how many cases have there been, exactly? What
were the consequences for the victims?

4. Will the Commission in future take measures to ban fluoride supplements and later fluoride in
general? If so, when?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2560/02 and E-2639/02
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2002)

The Commission received on 2 August 2000,
in the framework of Directive 98/34/EC establishing a
procedure for the provision of information in the fields of technical standards and regulations (1), the
Belgian draft ‘Royal decree amending the Royal Decree of 3 March 1992 concerning trade in nutrients and
in foodstuffs to which nutrients have been added’. In particular, the draft intended to remove chromium
and fluorine from the approved list of nutrients. The Commission reacted to the notification noting that
with regard to the use of chromium and fluorine in the form of food supplements, the draft concerned a
subject covered by the proposal for a Directive on food supplements (2) which was submitted to the
Parliament and the Council on 8 May 2000. The Belgian authorities were required, in conformity with the
provisions of Article 9, paragraphs 3 and 4 of Directive 98/34/EC, to defer the adoption of the draft in
question for twelve months from the date the Commission received the notification. The Belgian
authorities respected their obligation of postponing at that time the adoption of the draft which they
adopted in July this year.

The Commission does not intend to propose a ban on fluoride in food supplements. It is important to
note that the Union legislation on food supplements, Directive 2002/46/EC of the Parliament and the
Council on food supplements (3), was adopted on 10 June 2002. The adopted text was based on the
Common Position (EC) No 18/2002 (4) that had been finalised and adopted under the Belgian Presidency in
December 2001. The Directive entered into force on 12 July 2002 and Member States are required to
bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive
by 31 July 2003. It should also be noted that fluoride is one of the vitamins and minerals, listed in annex I
of the Directive, which may be used in the manufacture of food supplements under specific conditions.