WRITTEN QUESTION P-3315/03 by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. FMD compensation.
Date: 2003-11-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, United Kingdom, financial aid, foot-and-mouth disease, health control, slaughter of animals

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/255

With regard to this situation, could the Commission state whether France was held accountable for its
actions and has any recompense since been paid? If France avoided the judgement passed down on them
could the Commission then explain why this was the case and the amount in fines they should have paid?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(21 November 2003)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written E-2871/02 by Mr Parish (1).

(1) OJ C 222 E, 18.9.2003, p. 25.

(2004/C 70 E/276)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3315/03

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 November 2003)

Subject: FMD compensation

The UK government has claimed GBP 948,6 million from the European Commission for the cost of
responding to the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak.

The European Commission has so far paid only GBP 217 million.

Under European law, compensation is only payable to farmers whose animals are thought to have been
exposed to the disease.

Is the European Commission withholding the compensation given neither the EU Directive in force then,
nor the revised version, stipulate contiguous culling as a means of control?

What timescale does the Commission envisage for the completion of compensation payments?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2003)

Community reimbursement of Member States’ expenditure for eradication during epidemics such as foot-
and-mouth disease is governed by Decision 90/424/EEC (1). As a general rule, expenditure listed in
Article 11 of this Decision and recognised as eligible may be co-financed up to 60 %.

As for the expenditure incurred by the United Kingdom during the 2001 epidemic, the Commission
adopted three specific financing Decisions on the basis of the aforementioned Decision 90/424/EEC:

(cid:1) Decision 2001/654/EC (2), for the co-financing of the compensation paid by the British authorities for

slaughterings carried out between February and June 2001,

(cid:1) Decision 2003/23/EC (3), for the co-financing of the compensation paid by the British authorities for

slaughterings carried out between July and October 2001, and

(cid:1) Decision 2003/676/EC (4),

for the ‘operational expenditure’ associated with eradication (cleaning,

disinfection, destruction of carcasses, etc.).

The applications for co-financing up to 60 % submitted by the United Kingdom pursuant to these three
Decisions are for EUR 887 million, EUR 102 million and EUR 510 million respectively.

C 70 E/256

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

At this stage, the Commission has completed its financial audit of the applications submitted pursuant to
Decision 2001/654/EC and considers a sum of EUR 378,2 million to be eligible, of which EUR 355 million
had already been paid as an advance. The excluded expenditure is not ineligible under Community law but
the result of an overestimation of the value of the animals in the Commission’s calculations as well as a
flat-rate financial correction for the deficiencies of the administrative control system.

The applications submitted pursuant to the other two financing Decisions are still being audited. The audit
is expected to be completed in 2004. The Community financial contributions will be paid upon
completion of these audits.

An advance of EUR 40 million is on the point of being paid towards expenditure covered by Decision
2003/676/EC.

(1) 90/424/EEC: Council Decision of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field, OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.
(2) 2001/654/EC: Commission Decision of 16 August 2001 concerning a financial contribution towards the

eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001, OJ L 230, 28.8.2001.

(3) 2003/23/EC: Commission Decision of 30 December 2002 concerning a financial contribution for the compulsory
slaughter between 1 July and 31 October 2001 of animals due to foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom,
OJ L 8, 14.1.2003.

(4) 2003/676/EC: Commission Decision of 24 September 2003 on an additional financial contribution from the
Community towards the costs of the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001,
OJ L 249, 1.10.2003.

(2004/C 70 E/277)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3324/03

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(12 November 2003)

Subject: Authorisation of the harmful toxic spray ‘Paraquat’

The Commission is expected to authorise the inclusion of the harmful toxic spray ‘Paraquat’ on the EU’s
positive list of approved substances. Denmark has banned the marketing and import of this toxic spray
since 1994. Approval at EU level may restrict Member States’ scope for upholding rules safeguarding the
environment and consumers with the result that, for example, Denmark may be compelled to allow
imports of foodstuffs containing residues of this toxic substance which is regarded as lethal for mammals
and birdlife.

Will the Commission therefore explain the reasons for which this substance is now to be approved and the
extent of its knowledge of scientific data relating to the harmful characteristics of Paraquat and to available
substitutes? How can Denmark and other Member States uphold or adopt more far-reaching restrictions on
Paraquat so as to protect consumers, animal life and the environment from this substance?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 2003)

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

(1) OJ C 65 E, 13.3.2004, p. 266.