WRITTEN QUESTION E-1697/03 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Consumer fraud involving cat and dog skins.
Date: 2003-05-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal skin, clothing industry, consumer information, consumer protection, domestic animal, hides and furskins industry, protection of animals

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/475

For the current programming period 2000-2006, Article 30 of the Regulation on the Structural Funds (1)
provides that an operation retains the contribution from the Funds if that operation does not, within five
years of the date of the decision awarding it, undergo a substantial modification affecting its nature or its
implementation conditions and resulting either from a cessation or change of location in a productive
activity. If this is the case, the Member State must inform the Commission and undertake the financial
corrections required, by cancelling all or part of the Community contribution.

For the previous programming periods, the regulations did not provide for any means to recover grants
awarded under the Structural Funds, provided the operations are carried out and payments made on the
basis of the legislation in force.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds,

OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0549)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1697/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Consumer fraud involving cat and dog skins

(22 May 2003)

A BBC programme claims that hundreds of consumers in Europe are victims of fraud because they are
unwittingly buying furs manufactured in Europe from cat and dog skins.

The same programme reports that hundreds of thousands of cats and dogs worldwide are killed each year
by shady operators seeking to make a profit by selling their skins in Europe, without any clear indication
of the origin of their ‘products’.

In view of the fact that consumer protection is one of the fundamental policies of the EU, will the
Commission say what practical measures it will take to put an end to this travesty of a trade which is not
only an abhorrent practice but also constitutes consumer fraud?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 2003)

At present, the Commission has no information that confirms that cats and dogs are farmed for their fur
in the Union or in the ten Acceding Countries.

The Commission does not ignore the issue of imports of cat and dog furs. The Commission is currently
examining the questions raised taking into consideration the respective requirements of World Trade
Organisation (WTO) law, legal bases under Community law and the interplay with existing legislation to
prevent consumer deception.

(2004/C 84 E/0550)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1700/03

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(22 May 2003)

Subject: Financial corrections

In its reply concerning paragraph 2.57 of the 2001 Annual Report of the Court of Auditors (1) the
Commission states ‘as part of the follow-up to the 2001 clearance process the Commission services have
informed the Portuguese authorities that a financial correction of 2 % of Ifadap expenditure is proposed
(EUR 2,8 million)’.