WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3970/97 by James NICHOLSON to the Council. Ahn Jae-Ku
16. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 187/103 Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (6 February 1998) The scientific committee for food (SCF) was asked to re-examine its earlier áopinion on Lindane in baby foodsí expressed on 23 September 1994. At its meeting on 10 November 1997, the SCF was informed orally that the Joint food and agricultural organization/ world health organization (FAO/WHO) meeting on pesticide residuesí (JMPR) had re-evaluated lindane at its meeting of 22 September › 1 October 1997 and had substantially lowered the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The committee arrived at a consensus that its previous opinion could no longer be assumed to be valid but was unable to draft a new opinion since the underlying data for the reduction of the ADI were not available. Meanwhile the secretariat of the SCF has been informed that the JMPR opinion on lindane will be published in February or March 1998. The Commission has recently requested the SCF to advise it whether, in the light of the data presented to the JMPR, the presence of lindane at a level of 0. 03 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) of baby food poses a risk to public health and on the maximum level of lindane in such products that could be considered to be acceptable from the public health point of view. The committee concluded on 15 January 1998 that áa maximum level of lindane of 0. 02 mg/kg in foods intended for infants and young children could be considered to be acceptable from the public health point of viewí. The SCFís opinion of 15 January 1998 is available via Internet. (98/C 187/155) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3970/97 by James Nicholson (I-EDN) to the Council (15 December 1997) Subject: Ahn Jae-Ku Ahn Jae-Ku was arrested in June 1994 and charged under South Koreaís National Security Law. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 1994. Human Rights groups claim that Ahn Jae-Ku has been imprisoned for the non-violent exercise of freedom of expression and association and that he is being held in below standard conditions. Given that South Korea has ratified several international treaties and conventions guaranteeing human rights, what is the Councilís opinion on the imprisonment of Ahn Jae Ku? Answer (17 March 1998) The Council attaches great importance to the strict adherence to human rights by all countries. Those countries which have signed international conventions and treaties guaranteeing human rights have publicly committed themselves to uphold these rights. The Council is aware that arrests are made under the National Security Law of South Korea. The Council has repeatedly raised its objections to this law which can be seen as a reflection of the historically tense situation on the Korean Peninsula. The Council hopes that a solution may be found following the start of the Four-Party talks in Geneva. The Council has no specific opinion regarding the imprisonment of Ahn Jae Ku, given that it has not received information about charges or about the conditions of his imprisonment