WRITTEN QUESTION P-3135/02 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Prescription-only medicines and racing pigeons.
Date: 2002-10-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, application of EU law, bird, derogation from EU law, over-the-counter drug, sporting event, veterinary drug

C 137 E/162

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

12.6.2003

(2003/C 137 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3129/02

by Jan Dhaene (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 October 2002)

Subject: Data relating to bicycles on the website of the Commission and Eurostat

‘EU Transport in figures, Statistical pocketbook 2000’, published by the European Commission, includes
data relating to bicycles in the EU: the number of bicycles sold in the EU, the number of cyclists on the
road, and the number of journeys made by bicycle as a percentage of the total number of journeys made.
That last figure does not appear in ‘EU Transport and Energy, Statistical pocketbook 2001’ or on the
website on which are published the tables that are also included in the pocketbook for 2001.

1. Why is all the data where cycling and walking are regarded as a normal mode of transport for
Europeans not included on the website or in the pocketbook?

2.

Does the Commission have any plans to remedy this omission in the near future?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2002)

Pedestrians and cyclists make up a significant proportion of all
traffic, especially in urban areas.
The omission of tables for these categories from the 2001 edition of the pocket book ‘EU Energy and
Transport in Figures’ is simply the result of the lack of data in this area.

However, a study carried out in the meantime on behalf of the Commission has come up with new
estimates of pedestrian and cycle traffic, which will be included in the 2002 edition of ‘EU Energy and
Transport in Figures’ and will shortly be published on the website of the Directorate-General for Energy
and Transport. The statistical pocketbook will continue to include bicycle production data and statistics for
pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in road accidents.

A copy of the report in question will be forwarded directly to the Honourable Member.

(2003/C 137 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3135/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(28 October 2002)

Subject: Prescription-only medicines and racing pigeons

As part of the review of legislation governing all medicinal products, the Commission has laid down a
provision that medicines for farm livestock and horses must become prescription-only medicines.

What plans does the Commission have to exempt racing pigeons from this category?

Given that racing-pigeon owners currently deal with a number of minor ailments through the purchase of
off-the-shelf medicines, not to mention the fact that pigeons are not part of the food chain, does the
Commission feel that making all medicines POM would make pigeon racing more costly and reduce
interest in this activity as a sport?

12.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137 E/163

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2002)

Article 4(2) of Directive 2001/82/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the
Community code relating to veterinary medicinal products (1) allows Member States to permit exemptions
from marketing authorisation requirements in respect of veterinary medicinal products intended solely for
certain categories of species. This includes homing pigeons. The Commission’s recent proposal (2) to amend
the Directive adds ferrets and pet rabbits to the respective category of species.

However, exempted products can not contain substances the use of which requires veterinary control.
Member States permitting exemptions have to apply adequate measures to prevent unauthorised use of
these products for other animals.

Article 67 of Directive 2001/82/EC lays down minimum requirements regarding the dispensing of
veterinary medicinal products without prejudice to stricter Community or national rules. Member States
may therefore require stricter conditions, to be applied under national law.

(1) OJ L 311, 28.11.2001.
(2) OJ C 75 E, 26.3.2002.

(2003/C 137 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3139/02

by Gordon Adam (PSE) to the Commission

(4 November 2002)

Subject: Genetic susceptibility of individuals to specific foodstuffs within Framework Programme 6

The European Commission is finalising arrangements for Framework Programme 6 which will establish the
research strategy for the next five years. Although very helpful, the analysis of the Expressions of Interest
(EoI) for FP6 remain somewhat unclear as to which areas will be supported.

With this in mind, would the Commission please clarify what priority will be given to an assessment of the
genetic susceptibility of
individuals to specific foodstuffs and food components within Framework
Programme 6?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(9 December 2002)

The Commission invited the scientific community to submit expressions of interest (EoIs) in order to
assists its services to prepare the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) work programmes and to define the
scope of the first calls for proposals. For the Thematic Priority ‘Food Quality and Safety’, the EoIs were
analysed by external experts, who came up with a list of 53 research topics considered ready for
implementation and of the highest relevance to Europe. This list has been published on the website http://
www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-analysis.htm. Based on the 53 topics given in the EoI report, the work programme
for Thematic Priority 5 ‘Food Quality and Safety’
is currently being drafted. Publication of the work
programme is foreseen for mid-December 2002.

The Commission considers the issue of genetic susceptibility of
individuals to foodstuffs and food
component as an important one. As a matter of fact, under the headings ‘Epidemiology of food-related
‘Impact of food on health’ and ‘Environmental health risks’, many of the topics
diseases and allergies’,
retained offer the possibility for researchers to include aspects of genetic susceptibility of individuals to
specific foodstuffs into their research proposals: gene-nutrient interaction; epidemiology of food allergy;
lipid metabolism and chronic diseases; influence of nutrition and lifestyle on healthy ageing; functional
genomics in relation to food, nutrition and health; microbes and gut health; programming effects of early
nutrition on long-term health; healthy ageing through diet; risk-benefit analysis of phyto-estrogens, as an