WRITTEN QUESTION E-2876/03 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Promotion of healthy eating habits at school.
Date: 2003-09-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, child, disease prevention, eating habits, education policy, food hygiene, foodstuffs legislation, nutritional disease, public health, school canteen

C 65 E/236

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

What has the Council done in the past year to promote the recovery of the bodies of these African and
European citizens? Does not the European Union, and hence the Council, have a moral duty to coordinate
the salvage operation in cooperation with Senegal? Will the Council do nothing to help the families and
friends of the dead, and the dead themselves? What can the Council still do?

Reply

(17 November 2003)

Council Regulation 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning the provision of humanitarian aid does not
cover the provision of aid to the families of the victims from the unfortunate sinking of the Le Joola, as
recalled by Commissioner Nielsen in its response to the Written Parliamentary question E-3166/02
(15 January 2003).

The European Union has not been approached by the Senegalese authorities to help refloat the Joola.
The EU has not extended any direct financial assistance to the victims and their families but it provides
regular aid to Senegal
from the European Development Fund. The European Investment Bank is
considering providing a contribution (in co-operation with Germany) to the complete re-establishment of
the maritime line between Dakar and Ziguinchor, interrupted due to the accident.

(2004/C 65 E/252)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2876/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Promotion of healthy eating habits at school

(29 September 2003)

Reliable medical research shows a large increase in the number of those suffering from heart complaints
and type B diabetes in the EU Member States, largely due to bad diet and overweight.

Given that eating habits are acquired from an early age, being greatly influenced not only by the home but
also the school environment and the type of food served by school canteens:

1. Has the EU examined the problem of eating habits acquired at school age; has the statement by the
Winning Heart Conference of 14 February 2000 as part of the European Heart Health Initiative been
noted?

2. Will the Commission take steps to draft framework legislation to ensure that school canteens provide
food which does not damage the health of children or lead to over-consumption of saturated fats, salt,
sugar, fizzy drinks, etc.?

3.

Is European funding being provided for the promotion of healthy eating habits at school?

4. Does the Commission have information regarding the performance of each Member State in this area?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2003)

The Commission is very much aware of the importance of nutrition as a determinant for positive health.
This is reflected in the Public Health Action Programme (2003-2008), which foresees strategies and
measures on nutrition as a life-style related health determinant. Moreover, the 2003 Work Plan for this
programme foresees the development of innovative measures and approaches to improve dietary habits
and physical activity habits in all population groups.

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/237

A particular concern in this area are the dietary habits of children. Concretely, the Community has been
providing funding on a continuous basis for the European Network of Health Promoting Schools (ENHPS),
a common initiative of
the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the
Commission. One of the objectives of this project is to promote healthy dietary habits in schools
throughout Europe. More information on this project can be found at the following Internet:
site: http://www.who.dk/eprise/main/WHO/Progs/ENHPS/Home

the Council of Europe,

An important new project in this area, which the Commission is currently considering for funding, is the
initiative on ‘Children, obesity and associated avoidable chronic diseases’, which is co-ordinated by the
European Heart Network. This large-scale pan-European project will examine all ‘obesogenic’ factors in the
environment of children, including the school environment.

Both these projects clearly address the Declaration of the Winning Hearts conference of 2000, which
stated that every child born in the new millennium has the right to live until the age of at least 65 without
suffering from avoidable cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this context, the Commission would also like to
underline that the main priority of the incoming Irish Presidency in the Public Health area is CVD
prevention.

As far as the composition of school meals is concerned, the Community has no mandate for adopting
binding legislation in this area. However, the initiatives outlined above, and the dissemination of their
results, will contribute to raise awareness on children’s diets.

(2004/C 65 E/253)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2881/03

by Jan Dhaene (PSE) to the Commission

(29 September 2003)

Subject: Bicycle theft

Every year, enormous numbers of bicycles are stolen. Many are stolen for individual use, but large
numbers of bicycles are also fed into stolen-goods circuits, some of which operate on an international
scale.

Belgian research shows that bicycle theft is the ‘daily bread’ of criminals who are involved in more serious
crime. Bicycle theft is the most widespread form of crime in Europe.

Plans which the bicycle industry wanted to develop in response to requests from consumer associations
and the European Cyclists’ Federation, which involved the standardisation of serial numbers, identity chips
and obligatory U-locks, have come to nought.

The Commission:

(cid:1) does it have any accurate information about the number of bicycles stolen in the various Member

States and about where such stolen goods finish up;

(cid:1) does it acknowledge the impact of mass bicycle theft on the attractiveness of the bicycle as a

sustainable mode of transport and on an individual’s feeling of insecurity;

(cid:1) is it, together with the bicycle industry, planning to take measures to prevent bicycle theft?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2003)

The Commission would like to answer the Honourable Member as follows.

Information on the theft of bicycles is available only for eight Member States. Of those eight, Belgium,
Denmark, The Netherlands and Sweden show the largest number of stolen bicycles per capita.