WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2037/97 by Frédéric STRIBY to the Commission. Interreg II Programme for the Central and Southern Upper Rhine
C 45/146 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 2. 98 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (27 June 1997) The Commission would refer the Honourable Members to its answer to Written Question P-1992/97 by Mr Garc ·a-Margallo y Marfil (1). (1) See page 137. (98/C 45/189) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2034/97 by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission (13 June 1997) Subject: Sale of childrenís products containing substances which are harmful to the health On 25 May 1997 the Italian press reported that plastic teething aids manufactured by the Chicco-Artsana company had been withdrawn from the market in Denmark and Spain (and, subsequently, in Italy, by the industry itself), on the grounds that they released phtalates, which are carcinogenic. No other EU Member States or any third countries would appear to have followed suit. Is the Commission aware of the above? What urgent steps does it intend to take to protect the public against such products? Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1997) The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that it received three urgent notifications from Denmark during April, under the warning system provided for in Article 8 of Directive 92/59/EEC (1) on general product safety. These notifications referred to measures adopted in respect of various babies’ teething rings made in China and marketed in Europe by the Chicco Artsanaí company, the problem being the large quantities of phtalates released as a result of contact with babies’ saliva. In view of the potentially carcinogenic nature of these substances, the Commission decided to forward this information without delay to the authorities responsible for protecting the health and safety of consumers in the Member States. This allowed other Member States to react in their turn and secure the withdrawal of the products concerned from the market. It should be borne in mind, as stated in Directive 92/59/EEC, that it is the responsibility of the Member States to adopt all the measures necessary to make producers and distributors comply with their obligations with regard to product safety in such a way that only products which are safe are placed on the market. The Commission is also in the process of examining the need for specific rules on the criteria for laying down limits for the release of certain phtalates considered to be potentially carcinogenic by products such as those referred to by the Honourable Member. (1) OJ L 228, 11. 8. 1992. (98/C 45/190) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2037/97 by Fre·de·ric Striby (I-EDN) to the Commission (16 June 1997) Subject: Interreg II Programme for the Central and Southern Upper Rhine In July 1996 the Commission approved the Southern Upper Rhine programme relating to six areas of action. Each of these areas was provided with an initial budget established by the Interreg II programme