WRITTEN QUESTION P-2949/03 by Gian Gobbo (NI) to the Commission. Indication of frozen products.
Date: 2003-10-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: catering, competence of the Member States, consumer information, deep-frozen product, frozen product, labelling, marketing standard

C 58 E/208

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2004

As for the detection of two strains of salmonella (DT 108 and DT 170), the competent laboratory services
agree that these strains are virtually identical and hence extremely difficult to differentiate.

The Commission would like to reiterate that the sole purpose of the Rapid Alert System is to protect the
health of consumers. The Commission publishes a weekly overview of alert and information notifications
at (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/ras_index_en.html). Companies and brand names do not figure
on these lists but are supplied to the competent authorities of the Member States so as to enable them,
where necessary, to take the appropriate protective measures.

(2004/C 58 E/224)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2949/03

by Gian Gobbo (NI) to the Commission

(2 October 2003)

Subject: Indication of frozen products

Does the Commission consider that it would be appropriate to adopt rules requiring public commercial
establishments in the Union to indicate clearly, for the purpose of consumer protection, any use of frozen
products in the preparation of food offered to customers?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

The Commission does not consider that it would be appropriate to oblige restaurants, canteens, etc. to
indicate the use of frozen products in the preparation of the food they serve, as a measure of this kind is
not justified from a food safety perspective in particular. In any case, the adoption of such measures would
come under the competence of the Member States.

However, the Commission plans to make it compulsory for foods sold frozen or defrosted to bear a label
to this effect, together with a warning that the food in question should not be refrozen.

(2004/C 58 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2951/03

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(2 October 2003)

Subject: Draft REACH regulation

The recent
evaluation and authorisation of chemicals (REACH) elicited over 6 300 contributions.

Internet consultation on the Commission’s draft regulation concerning the registration,

The vast majority of contributors expressed concern about the financial and bureaucratic implications of
these measures for the European chemical industry, and also about the damaging impact on competitive-
ness, employment and European know-how. SMEs in the chemical industry will be particularly affected.
The knock-on effect will mean that the economic impact on sectors downstream from the chemical
industry will be strongly felt across the board. The cessation or relocation of certain production activities,
combined with the desire to avoid excessive red tape in Europe will lead some operators to downsize and/
or relocate some of their R & D expertise in the long term. Lastly, the registration of polymers on the basis
of the options laid down by the regulation could stifle innovation in a field whose vibrancy is almost
unrivalled.