WRITTEN QUESTION E-0458/04 by Brian Simpson (PSE) and Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission. Avian flu and the ban on poultry from Thailand.
Date: 2004-02-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Thailand, animal disease, food safety, health control, import policy, poultrymeat, prepared foodstuff, zoonosis

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/405

Furthermore, the Commission has proposed a Directive on unfair commercial practice(s) (5) to ensure that
consumers are adequately protected from rogue traders. The Commission has also undertaken to review
and update the consumer acquis communautaire in its Consumer Policy Strategy 2002-2006 (6).

The increase in the number of consumer complaints in Greece may be taken as a sign that consumers are
becoming more aware of their rights. They are turning to consumer organisations for assistance to enforce
these rights. The Commission does not consider this as a sign that Community legislation inadequately
protects consumers but rather as proof that the awareness of consumer rights is increasing, a development
that the Commission strongly supports. In order to further spread information to consumers a European
Consumer Centre (EEC) opened in Athens (7, Akadimias Street, GR-10671 Athens) on 7 May 2003.

Greece has transposed all the consumer protection directives related to the issues mentioned outside the
area of food safety. It is up to the national authorities in Greece to ensure that EU consumer directives,
as transposed into national law, are properly enforced for the benefit of Greek consumers.

In the area of food safety, the Food and Veterinary Office of the Commission carried out three inspections
to Greece during 2003 and made recommendations to improve the functioning of the official control
systems in place and to correct the deficiencies noted. Many of these deficiencies arise as a result of a
shortage of staff, and this issue is being actively pursued with the Greek authorities. The reports of these
inspections will be made available on the Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection Internet site
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/oc_index_en.html) in due course.

(1) Directive 98/6/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 on consumer protection in the

indication of the prices of products offered to consumers, OJ L 80, 18.3.1998.

(2) Council Directive 87/102/EEC of 22 December 1986 for the approximation of

the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States concerning consumer credit, OJ L 42, 12.2.1987 as amended by
Directive 98/7/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 amending Directive 87/102/EEC for
the approximation of
the Member States concerning
consumer credit, OJ L 101, 1.4.1998.

the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of

(3) Council Directive 85/374/EEC of 25 July 1985 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions of the Member States concerning liability for defective products, OJ L 210, 7.8.1985 as amended by
Directive 1999/34/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 1999, OJ L 141, 4.6.1999.

(4) Council Directive 93/38/EEC of 14 June 1993 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the
water, energy, transport and telecommunications sectors, OJ L 199, 9.8.1993 as amended by Directive 98/4/EC of
the Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998, OJ L 101, 1.4.1998.

(5) COM(2003) 356 final.
(6) COM(2002) 208 final.

(2004/C 84 E/0471)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0458/04

by Brian Simpson (PSE) and Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: Avian flu and the ban on poultry from Thailand

Following the outbreak of avian flu in Asia the EU has banned all fresh poultry imports from Thailand.
The ban has now been extended to 15 August 2004. The ban does not extend to poultry meats treated to
a very high temperature (70 °C). What reassurance can the Commission offer on reducing the risks of
infection from cooked Thai poultry available in ‘ready meals’?

C 84 E/406

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 2004)

According to international standards provided by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and
supported by risk analysis studies conducted in collaboration with the Avian Influenza Community
Reference Laboratory, these viruses are inactivated at temperatures of at least 60 °C applied for 30 minutes.
Commission Decision 97/222/EC (1) for the importation of meat products mitigates the risk of introduction
of the different notifiable animal diseases via imports of fresh meat by recognised techniques for disease
agent inactivation procedures applied to the product. These procedures are described in the Annex to this
decision and the model certificate for such products is laid down in Commission Decision 97/221/EC (2)
and has been used for many years.

Therefore the importation of poultry, ratites and feather game meat products originating from Thailand
that have undergone a treatment according to the methods prescribed by the Annex, part IV, points B, C
or D, to Commission Decision 97/222/EC continues to be authorised. The treatments require the product
to be heated to at least 70o Celsius throughout, which means in fact that higher temperatures will be
reached in the product.

When ‘Ready-meals’ contain meat which still has the characteristics of fresh meat (e.g. they have only been
salted, seasoned or rolled in flour and then frozen) they are not considered as meat products, but fall under
the definition of meat preparations, which are covered by the current ban.

It is the responsibility of the Member States to control consignments at the Community’s border inspection
posts on the fulfilment of the Community health standards and to take appropriate actions in case of non
conformity to the Community legislation.

The Commission’s Taxation and Customs Union Directorate-General (DG) is furthermore closely working
with Member States customs administrations to implement in a practical way a co-ordinated approach to
risk management across the Community. A recent example is the sharing of information to support
controls to enforce the recent ban on poultry products from the infected countries in Asia.

The Commission emphasizes that all measures are supported by the Standing Committee on the Food
Chain and Animal Health, in which experts of all Member States are represented.

The import of poultry meat from Asia in airports by passengers is banned by Commission Decision 2002/
995/EC (3). Under these rules, poultry meat and meat products cannot be introduced into the European
Union without conforming to the same health requirements as commercial imports.

(1) Commission Decision 97/222/EC of 28 February 1997 laying down the list of third countries from which the

Member States authorise the importation of meat products, OJ L 89, 4.4.1997.

(2) Commission Decision 97/221/EC of 28 February 1997 laying down the animal health conditions and model
veterinary certificates in respect of imports of meat products from third countries and revoking Decision 91/449/
EEC, OJ L 89, 4.4.1997.

(3) Commission Decision 2002/995/EC of 9 December 2002 laying down interim safeguard measures with regard to

imports of products of animal origin for personal consumption, OJ L 353, 30.12.2002.

(2004/C 84 E/0472)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0459/04

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: Closure of Thyssen Krupp plants in Terni

The company Thyssen Krupp (TK) has announced the imminent closure of the magnetic steel production
plant at the company’s Ast factory in Terni, Italy. The closure of the plant will lead to the loss of 900 jobs,