WRITTEN QUESTION E-2051/03 by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Essential oils and consumer protection.
Date: 2003-06-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: consumer information, consumer protection, flavouring, foodstuff, foodstuffs legislation

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/71

(cid:1) In 1990 the Chinese government tried to stabilise the region by investing billions of dollars in
building roads, railways, hospitals and army barracks, digging oil wells and, above all, encouraging
massive migration from eastern China. Whereas the Han ethnic group made up only 5 % of the
population in 1950, they now constitute 50 % of the 18 million inhabitants.

(cid:1) Even now the government is promising those who move to Xinjiang guaranteed jobs, obviously at the

expense of the Uighurs.

(cid:1) According to Amnesty International 3 000 Uighurs were arrested recently and one hundred were
executed after summary trials. Young Uighurs are forced to attend courses of indoctrination at school
and anyone caught listening to Radio Free Asia is arrested.

(cid:1) The most historic district of Kashgar was demolished in order to build the new railway and the

ancient bazaar is being destroyed to make way for a Chinese hypermarket.

(cid:1) The most famous Uighur singer, Abdurihim, was forced to shave off his beard, has been banned from
singing in public and a poster has been stuck up on his house bearing the words ‘re-educated at last’.

In view of the excellent relations between the EU and China in the sphere of economic and commercial
cooperation and the fact that, according to the Commission, the dialogue on human rights is being held in
an ‘open and constructive atmosphere’, can the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether it is aware of the facts outlined above;

(cid:1) whether and when the issue of the Uighur minority was raised publicly and officially with China and

with what outcome;

(cid:1) what steps, in the context of cooperation relations, might constitute a serious and effective instrument

for inducing China to respect fundamental human rights?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2003)

The Commission is well aware of reports on repression and discrimination of the Uighur minority. Since
the beginning of the Union-China bilateral human rights dialogue, the question of minority rights has been
very high on its agenda. Basic rights as well as religious and cultural identity of the Uighur population
have been regularly addressed in every session of the dialogue. Moreover it has been suggested that the
next round of the dialogue, to be held in China in December 2003, be followed by a field visit to Xinjiang
Province. The situation has not, as yet, fundamentally improved on the ground.

Some years ago the Commission launched an extended human rights related co-operation programme
which, in its view, constitutes a useful instrument to induce China to respect fundamental rights. This
programme has, up to now, mainly dealt with legal co-operation, support to local governance, the rights
of more vulnerable groups like women or handicapped people and the ratification and implementation of
the United Nations human rights covenants.

(2004/C 78 E/0070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2051/03

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 June 2003)

Subject: Essential oils and consumer protection

The seventh amendment to the Cosmetics Directive went to some lengths to ensure that consumers were
protected in relation to the use of essential oils. Such oils are included in products eaten by consumers, for
example yoghurt with lavender oil. Would it not be consistent to put the same warning on such foods as
on cosmetic products? Is the Commission proposing to do this? If not, why not?

C 78 E/72

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to cosmetic products (1) does not restrict the use of essential oils as such in cosmetic products but
requests the labelling of certain substances if they are present in cosmetic products above certain levels.

For the use of flavourings and food ingredients with flavouring properties (e.g. herbs and spices) in and on
foods, Community legislation follows a different approach in order to protect human health. The
Framework Directive 88/388/EEC on flavourings (2) prohibits the addition of substances as such to foods if
they raise toxicological concern. For their unavoidable presence in flavoured/spiced foods due to their
natural occurrence in plants, like common herbs, the Directive sets maximum levels. Essential oils fall
under the definition of ‘flavouring preparations’ to which the limits for these substances also apply. Given
this strict approach, Directive 2000/13/EC (3) does not request the labelling of specific names of substances,
but requires to inform consumers about the presence of flavourings in food by the term ‘flavouring’.

At the request of the Commission, the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) has evaluated a number of such
naturally occurring substances during the past two years. The opinions are available from the web site
‘Flavourings’ of the Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/
fs/sfp/addit_flavor/flavourings/index_en.html).

On the basis of these opinions, the Commission is currently elaborating an update of the list of naturally
occurring substances which should not be added as such to foods as well as an update of their maximum
levels in foods. This update will be part of a proposal for a new framework regulation on flavourings
which should replace Directive 88/388/EEC.

(1) OJ L 262, 27.9.1976.
(2) Council Directive 88/388/EEC of 22 June 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to

flavourings for use in foodstuffs and to source materials for their production, OJ L 184, 15.7.1988.

(3) Directive 2000/13/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of

the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.

(2004/C 78 E/0071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2056/03

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(20 June 2003)

Subject: Ethylene

Ethylene is one of the volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere through incineration
processes, by the petrochemicals industry, road transport and through the burning of timber, etc. However,
it is also a natural plant hormone involved in the maturing of plants and causes, inter alia, fruit to ripen,
leaves to fall, dormant periods to cease and flower parts to mature, and it is physiologically active in very
low concentrations (0,01-0,1 ppm). In its role as a plant hormone, ethylene is the most important VOC
which has a direct effect on plants. Accordingly, even minimal pollution with this hormone has (or may
have) serious consequences for various plants and agricultural crops. In various locations, ethylene has
been shown to be present in much higher concentrations than the values regarded in scientific literature as
normal ambient concentrations. Nevertheless, with regard to ethylene, no critical level has, to date, been
laid down for exposure of vegetation to such compounds, nor any specific emission standards for ethylene
which might restrict excessive emissions from point sources. A farmer whose crops have been damaged by
ethylene has no opportunity to claim compensation, since no norms or critical values have been
established.