WRITTEN QUESTION E-0266/04 by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Imports of poultry meat into the EU.
Date: 2004-02-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU market, import (EU), import restriction, market protection, poultrymeat, trade statistics

C 88 E/492

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0504)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0266/04

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 February 2004)

Subject: Imports of poultry meat into the EU

Can the Commission state what quantities of poultry meat have been imported into the European Union in
the most recent six-month period for which statistics are available, and whether a suspension of such
imports would have any significant effect on the European market for meat?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 March 2004)

During the first six months of 2003 the imports to the EU of poultrymeat (including live poultry and
poultrymeat products) amounted to 411 000 tonnes (t). The level of imports was 26 % higher than in the
corresponding period of 2002.

It is estimated that in 2003 imports of poultrymeat reached the level of 800 000 tonnes, an amount
equivalent to 9 % of poultrymeat and 2 % of all meat consumed in the EU, respectively.

The main suppliers of poultrymeat to the EU in 2003 were Brazil
(estimated 190 000 t) and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

(estimated 400 000 t), Thailand

imports to the EU market can be regarded rather as a
The complete suspension of poultrymeat
hypothetical exercise. Although it may reduce availability of poultrymeat to the EU consumers, it would do
so to a lesser extent than the 9 % indicated above. That is because the lack of imports would be
compensated at least partially by European poultrymeat supply and by European pigmeat. It should be
kept in mind that the EU has exported around 1 000 000 tonnes of poultrymeat in 2003 and had a trade
surplus of 200 000 tonnes of that meat.

Any impact of the suspension would be, proportionally, smaller, the shorter the period in which it would
be applied. In addition, any reduction in availability of meat in the EU-15 after 1 May 2004 will be
mitigated by greater availability of meat from the new Member States.

(2004/C 88 E/0505)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0302/04

by Christa Randzio-Plath (PSE) to the Commission

(2 February 2004)

Subject: Working conditions for female flower workers in Africa, Asia and Latin America

Germany is the largest market for cut flowers from Latin America, Asia and Africa. The workers on the
plantations in these regions, who are mostly women, tend to receive minimal pay and have uncertain work
contracts. Poor working conditions, such as the use of pesticides that are mostly banned in Europe without
the workers having access to appropriate protective clothing or other equipment, mean that these workers
continue to face serious health risks in the form of cancer, respiratory diseases, miscarriages and birth
defects. Female workers who set up or join trade unions are subject to discrimination and repression by
plantation management, making it difficult for them to improve their working conditions by their own
efforts.