WRITTEN QUESTION P-1851/03 by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Measures to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome — Textiles.
Date: 2003-05-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: disease prevention, epidemiology, health risk, import, infectious disease, public health, textile product

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/235

(2004/C 11 E/262)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1851/03

by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 May 2003)

Subject: Measures to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome (cid:1) Textiles

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is causing alarm among those who work for textile companies
which manufacture cotton articles from textile raw materials such as fibres, yarns, and fabrics originating
in China and Hong Kong. Nothing is known about the virus’s capacity to survive in and be transmitted via
materials such as fibres, fabrics, or underwear.

Can the Commission shed light on the health risks that might be posed to the workers who handle
imported goods and the consumers who use them?

Could it also say what steps it is taking as regards the textile products covered by Section XI of the
Common Customs Tariff and the gauze articles and dressings falling under heading 3005.90.31?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2003)

The Commission has taken a proactive and leading role in responding to the outbreak of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), together with the Member States.

This has been undertaken through the Union Network for the Epidemiological Surveillance and Control of
Communicable Diseases in the Community working under the Decision No 2119/98/EC of the Parliament
and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and
control of communicable diseases in the Community (1), and it has provided a very effective basis for the
rapid exchange of information within the Union and for a co-ordinated response, in which the European
Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Candidate Countries have fully participated in collaboration with World
Health Organisation (WHO). The success of this methodology was endorsed by the extraordinary Council
on SARS (6 May 2003) and confirmed by the Health Council (2 June 2003).

Information to Member States
According to the information available from WHO (11 April 2003:
regarding goods and animals arriving from SARS-affected areas; on: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en) to date
there is no epidemiological information to suggest that contact with goods, products or animals shipped
from SARS-affected areas has been the source of SARS infection in humans. At present the Commission is
not aware that goods arriving from SARS-affected areas pose a risk for public health.

(1) OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.

(2004/C 11 E/263)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1870/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 June 2003)

Subject: Collateral

With the discussions on the draft consumer credit directive in mind, will the Commission publish its own
or independent estimates of the average duration of proceedings to recover defaulted consumer debt in
each Member State, and the average proportion of such debt that is recovered for the lender?