WRITTEN QUESTION P-3194/03 by Säid El Khadraoui (PSE) to the Commission. Carcinogenic substance in baby food.
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, European Food Safety Authority, baby food, carcinogenic substance, food inspection, food safety, interinstitutional relations (EU), packaging product, powers of the institutions (EU), research results

C 65 E/272

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

(cid:1) given the time which has passed since its adoption, to check whether the technical guidelines set out

in Recommendation 86/666/EEC need to be updated and/or improved;

(cid:1) to consider the advisability and potential means of identifying and disseminating best practice in fire

prevention.

In line with these guidelines, the Commission does not at this stage envisage submitting a proposal for a
specific directive on this subject.

The Commission also considers it to be of the utmost importance to have, as far as possible, objective and
full knowledge of the situation on the ground. To this end, it intends to complete its assessment of existing
regulations in this area in the Member States and to compile an inventory of hotel fires in the Community
between 1986 and 2003, including an analysis of their causes and consequences. These two measures will
allow a better evaluation of risks, thus creating a stronger basis and a clearer course for Community action.

With regard to the discussions under way on a Community legal framework for service safety, it would be
premature to speculate on its scope in relation to hotel fire safety. However, the Report from the
Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the safety of services for consumers (3) makes
it clear that tourism, leisure and sports activities will be priority sectors for the Community, and hotels will
be included in this.

(1) OJ L 384, 31.12.1986.
(2) COM(2001) 348 final.
(3) COM(2003) 313 final.

(2004/C 65 E/286)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3194/03

by Säid El Khadraoui (PSE) to the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Subject: Carcinogenic substance in baby food

Producers of baby food should replace the lids on their jars as quickly as possible. The lids contain low
doses of semicarbazide (SEM), a substance that can cause cancer in mice, according to the European Food
Safety Agency (EFSA). Research shows that a dose 40 000 times higher than a baby’s daily intake can cause
tumours in mice. According to the EFSA, the risk to babies is very small but, on the other hand, no
research has ever been carried out on human beings. The problem also arises with some brands of fruit
juice, jam, vegetables, mayonnaise and other foodstuffs packed in bottles and jars.

What is the Commission’s view of the EFSA’s research findings? How serious does it consider the risk to
babies, children and adults to be?

What action does the Commission intend to take? Can the Commission say exactly what measures will be
introduced and on what timescale?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2003)

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is an independent authority with the task to provide the
Community Institutions and Member States with scientific advice and technical support in the area food
and feed safety. The risk assessment on semicarbazide (SEM) carried out by EFSA concludes that the risk to
the consumer and babies in particular is very small but that it would be prudent to reduce exposure to
SEM as swiftly as technological progress safely allows. The Commission is acting on this basis.

As soon as the Commission received the statements of EFSA concerning the safety assessment of foods and
in particular baby foods in glass jars and bottles, it convened a meeting with the Member States within the
Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, which took place on 14 October 2003.

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At this meeting the phasing out of the use of the blowing agent azodicarbonamide as quickly as
technically and legally possible was agreed. To this effect, the Commission will present a draft amendment
of Directive 2002/72/EC (1) (the Plastics Directive) to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and
Animal Health by the end of 2003.

At the request of the Commission, the Member States will continue to monitor the presence of SEM in
packaged foods,
in particular baby foods, and will report the results to the Commission for onward
transmission to EFSA. On the basis of these results, a re-evaluation will be carried out if needed.

Furthermore, the Commission has asked EFSA to assess, with high priority, the risk of SEM levels currently
reported in various food products and to complete the assessment of the risks posed by semicarbazide
from various origins and in all types of food.

(1) Commission Directive 2002/72/EC of 6 August 2002 relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into

contact with foodstuffs, OJ L 220, 15.8.2002. Corrigendum, OJ L 39, 13.2.2003.

(2004/C 65 E/287)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3202/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(30 October 2003)

Subject: Ban on the use of paraquat

At a recent meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, a Commission
proposal was adopted regarding the use of paraquat as a pesticide. This substance is known to be
exceedingly dangerous and can cause irreversible damage to human health. Given its highly toxic nature,
coupled with the absence of any antidote, it may prove fatal and it is particularly harmful to animals and
birds. In certain Member States the use of paraquat has been prohibited and many non-governmental
organisations have called for a ban on its use both in the EU Member States and in the developing
countries.

Why has the Commission recommended the continued use of such a highly toxic substance? Is it aware
that by authorising the widespread use of paraquat, it will encourage its use in countries where it is already
banned and in developing countries? Will
it reconsider the matter, given the availability of safer
alternatives?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2003)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written P-3093/03 by Mr Ettl (1).

(1) See page 266.

(2004/C 65 E/288)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3290/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(3 November 2003)

Subject: Work-related illnesses

Could the Commission please give the reasons for its request to Member States to widen their lists of
official work-related illnesses in its 19 September approval of a draft Recommendation on professional
health risks?