WRITTEN QUESTION P-0525/04 by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Potato ring rot.
Date: 2004-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Ireland, import restriction, plant disease, plant health control, plant health legislation, potato, seed

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/805

In addition, the programmes emphasise issues related to improved access to the Justice system, crime
prevention as well as the development and implementation of policies related to the fight against crime
more broadly and building capacity in these departments. For example, access to the Courts has been
improved by piloting an electronic maintenance grant payout system in the Department of Justice, while
police service delivery has been improved by training hundreds of police officers to drive vehicles as well
as the upgrading of Victim Friendly facilities at several Police Stations.

One of the programmes also supports improvement of the investigative capacity of the SAPS by assisting
with the development of an automated DNA Criminal Database that will extend SAPS’s current ability to
use DNA profiling to link suspected criminals to crimes committed. This will also be of benefit in relation
to Sexual Offences like Rape and Child Abuse.

Projects:

Physical Implementation (1)

Financial Disbursements (1)

APEC (96/08)

Closure phase

SAPS/DSS (99/024)

40 % implemented

e-Justice (00/28)

60 % implemented

(1)

These figures are estimated.

> 90 %

25 %

100 %

2.
Both the e-Justice (00/28) and SAPS (99/24) programmes are piloted across all nine provinces of the
country already. Despite the fact that the relevant departments have, with their own funds, extended
aspects of these programmes to other geographical areas, the Commission remains ready to assist both the
SA Police Service and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development with extending these
programmes where possible and feasible to other parts of the country.

The Commission and its Member States, in September 2003, agreed to the funding (with DFID (1)) of
3.
a programme that will focus on support to the policing of crimes against women and children in the
Eastern Cape Province, worth EUR 25 million in total. The overall objective of this programme is
improved safety and security for the people of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. This theme is
developed into the specific programme purpose of prevention of crimes against women and children and
improving the services delivered to people affected by such crimes in project priority areas. While the
Financing Agreement has been signed by the Commission, a signature is expected by the South African
Government in early March 2004, with project implementation commencing soon afterwards.

As previously explained and in line with Parliamentary recommendations, the Commission confirms its
intention to continue co-operation with the Criminal Justice sector as foreseen in the Country Strategy
Paper 2003/05, emphasising service delivery improvement, crime prevention in relation to vulnerable
groups, community involvement and increased accountability of the Criminal Justice sector (2).

(1) DFID (cid:1) Department for International Development (cid:1) United Kingdom Government.
(2) Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

(2004/C 84 E/0900)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0525/04

by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(17 February 2004)

Subject: Potato ring rot

The Commission will be aware that the recent outbreak of potato ring rot in Wales gave serious concerns
to potato growers in other parts of the United Kingdom, including my own constituency, Scotland. The
Commission may also be aware that the National Union of Farmers in Scotland, together with colleagues
in Ireland, are keen to take action to prevent the spread of this disease to their own crops by establishing

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3.4.2004

‘high health regions’. This would allow Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to attain
official designation as areas which are free from potato ring rot and enable a ban to be imposed on the
import of seed from non-designated areas. This strategy would achieve the dual aims of stemming the
spread of the disease and ensuring that disease-free areas are able to cultivate healthy potato crops.

Would the Commission agree that measures such as those being proposed by the farmers of Scotland and
Ireland would assist in preventing the spread of this disease and indicate what needs to be done at EU as
well as at national or devolved level of government to achieve these aims?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2004)

We are well aware of the outbreak of potato ring rot to which the Honourable Member refers and are
carefully monitoring the situation, on which we are regularly updated by the British authorities. On the
proposals made by Scottish and Irish farmers, we must point out that the Union already has appropriate
legislation in place for preventing appearance of this disease on its territory and controlling it if it does
occur. The legislation is Directive 2000/29/EC (1), enacting health provisions in connection with entry into
the Union and movement within it of plants and plant products, including potatoes, and Directive 93/85/
EEC (2), which contains a set of very detailed technical measures for thwarting the appearance of this
disease and controlling it. Under the Community provisions no movement of potatoes is possible unless
the plant health requirements have been met, namely that they are free of ring rot, in the case of seed
potatoes are accompanied by a plant health passport attesting that fact, and in the case of ware potatoes
that the grower or packer is officially registered. We do not see what further measures could be added.
Moreover, under single market rules once harmonised technical measures are in place no prohibition for
plant health reasons on movement within the Community is permitted.

(1) Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community
of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community, OJ L 169,
10.7.2000. Last amended by Commission Directive 2003/116/EC, OJ L 321, 6.12.2003.

(2) Council Directive 93/85/EEC of 4 October 1993 on the control of potato ring rot, OJ L 259, 18.10.1993.

(2004/C 84 E/0901)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0541/04

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 February 2004)

Subject: Yielding to the USA’s pressure on airlines to supply unlimited quantities of data concerning

passengers in advance of a possible agreement

1.
Is the Commission aware that (cid:1) before any agreement has been concluded between the EU and the
USA (cid:1) the Dutch airline KLM is supplying all the data requested by the US Customs Service (cid:1) including
credit card numbers, e-mail addresses and dietary preferences (cid:1) concerning passengers on flights landing
at US airports, whereas other European airlines such as Alitalia, in compliance with national legislation, are
not doing so?