WRITTEN QUESTION E-3335/02 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Vaccinations and safety.
Date: 2002-11-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: disease prevention, domestic animal, health legislation, livestock farming, vaccination, veterinary legislation

9.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 242 E/53

regard to the return plan, the Commission has indicated that it is ready to earmark an indicative amount
of EUR 7 million out of budget line B7-667 to support measures facilitating reintegration of returnees
from Europe. The Commission will also devote some EUR 10 million to ensure sustainability of returns
regardless of whether these are returns from the region or further afield.

Regarding legal and protection issues, the return plan states clearly that the focus will be on voluntary
returns and includes legal and other safeguards. Forced returns can take place only in full compliance with
the 1951 Geneva Convention on the rights of Refugees and if all other legal possibilities for remaining in
the Union have been exhausted. Furthermore, it should be considered only if the person in question has
not, within a reasonable period of time, taken advantage of any assisted voluntary return programme.

The return plan also establishes a so-called Afghanistan Return Co-ordination Group. One of the main
terms of reference of this group is to set in motion the part of the return plan which states that ‘the
identification of returnees and the pace of return shall
take into consideration the best available
information of the situation on the ground, the possibilities of matching returns with reconstruction efforts
and the partnership between the Union and the Transitional Government of Afghanistan.’ The Commission
will chair this co-ordination group and take into consideration all relevant humanitarian aspects and best-
practice on phased return that duly reflect
In this framework, close
cooperation will be ensured with other relevant parties for the implementation of the return plan, in
particular UNHCR.

the situation on the ground.

(2003/C 242 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3335/02

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 November 2002)

Subject: Vaccinations and safety

During their lifetime, and for a variety of reasons, productive livestock are injected with a wide variety of
pharmaceutical preparations and vaccines.

In the Netherlands, it is routine veterinary and agricultural practice for as many injections as possible to be
given with the same needle. Needles are replaced only if they break or if they cannot penetrate an animal’s
hide for some other reason.

According to the WHO-Unicef-UNFPA Joint Statement (WHO/V&B/99.25), such methods of vaccination
are not applicable to human beings because of the high risk of infection, especially in the case of mass
vaccination campaigns. With regard to current veterinary practice, the risks of (cross) infection are much
too great.

Does the Commission take the view that, in the very near future, the precautionary principle should also
be applied in the case of (preventive) mass vaccinations?

Does the Commission share my view that, with regard to the vaccination of productive livestock, needles
should be totally sterilised or disinfected?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(13 January 2003)

The Commission shares the views of the Honourable Member to a large extent.

Recourse to the precautionary principle will always apply if potentially dangerous effects deriving from a
phenomenon, product or process have been identified and if scientific evaluation does not allow the risk to
be determined with sufficient certainty.

The use of sterile or adequately disinfected needles on animals to be injected with drugs or vaccines, as
well as many other veterinary actions, is a good veterinary practice aimed at preventing transmission of
disease agents between animals.

C 242 E/54

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

However, a proper implementation of the hygienic measures that are necessary in case of mass vaccination
of livestock is a primary responsibility of each veterinarian or other adequately trained personnel applying
vaccination. These measures must be inter alia proportional and based on balancing costs and benefits.

(2003/C 242 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3364/02

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(20 November 2002)

Subject: Portuguese on Euronews

The important role played by the Euronews television channel has been acknowledged by Parliament on
several occasions. This view is doubtless shared by the Commission. For that reason, the Euronews channel
receives significant financial support from the Community even though it is privately owned.

The main justification for Community funding rests on the importance of a multilingual channel with a
European focus, not only in terms of communication among Europeans but also in the interest of
communicating the European project and its development at world level.

It was recently reported in the press that 16 Portuguese members of staff responsible for Portuguese-
language Euronews broadcasts were about to be dismissed and that programmes would no longer be
broadcast in Portuguese. At present there is also a Portuguese version of the website www.euronews.net,
and it is to be feared that its future may likewise be in doubt.

With more than 200 million speakers, Portuguese is the sixth most widely spoken language at world level
and stands in third place among European languages used as world languages, after English and Spanish.

According to the most recent records consulted, Euronews can currently be seen in 125 million homes in
78 countries throughout the world.

Does the Commission have any information on the alleged impending dismissal of 16 Portuguese
members of the Euronews staff? Which members of staff are involved, and on what grounds are they to be
dismissed? Will the Commission take any initiative aimed at ensuring that Euronews continues to be
broadcast in Portuguese? What amounts of Community funding were received by Euronews in 2000, 2001
and 2002? Does the Commission not believe that Community funding for the Euronews channel must be
conditional on Euronews’ continuing to broadcast multilingual programmes, at least in the most widely
spoken European world languages, which must necessarily include Portuguese?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(3 January 2003)

Over the last three years, the Commission has contributed for more than EUR 4,1 million to Euronews
(EUR 2 063 933 in 2000; EUR 1 375 956 in 2001; and EUR 687 978 in 2002).

On 23 October 2001, a convention was signed by the Commission and Euronews, with the full
association of
the Parliament. Under the convention it was agreed that co-operation between the
Commission and Euronews would continue for the next three years and during this period the financing
would be gradually phased out so that co-production would have to increase.

The convention did not cover any questions related to staff, which remains an internal matter for
Euronews.

The Commission is involved in ongoing discussions about the evolving structure of Euronews. To date
Euronews has been uniquely pan-European in its coverage and the Commission would like to ensure that
this continues under the new regime, together with the use of a maximum of Union languages, including
Portuguese.