WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3815/97 by Caroline JACKSON to the Commission. Net transfers to the EU budget
C 174/134 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 6. 98 (98/C 174/201) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3814/97 by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission (28 November 1997) Subject: Food labelling › peanut derivatives People suffering from an allergy to peanuts can unknowingly eat foods containing peanut derivatives. This is due to unclear labelling of these foods, which in some cases can lead to a life-threatening situation. Are there European level rules for the labelling of foods containing peanut derivatives? If not, does the Commission have any plans for proposals to introduce clear labelling of these foods? Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (15 January 1998) The Commission is actively considering the need for amendments to the Community rules on food labelling in order to ensure that consumers are properly informed of the presence of potential allergens in foods, including peanuts and peanut oil. At the request of the Commission, in September 1995, the scientific committee for food has produced a report on food allergy and food intolerance. The conclusions of this report are currently being discussed with the Member States. In addition, discussions on the labelling of allergens are taking place at international level within the framework of the Codex Alimentarius. This work will be supplemented, within the framework of scientific cooperation between Member States and Commission, by a collection of the epidemiologic data available (geographical variations and frequency and gravity of over-sensitiveness). This is indeed necessary to determine criteria for the establishment of a list of ingredients recognised as a source of allergy or of intolerance which, if they are used in a foodstuff, should mandatorily be introduced in the list of ingredients which appear on labelling. On the basis of the results of this epidemiologic examination which should be known in June 1998, the Commission could then be in a position to propose an amendment of Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer (1). (1) OJ L 33, 8. 2. 1979. (98/C 174/202) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3815/97 by Caroline Jackson (PPE) to the Commission (28 November 1997) Subject: Net transfers to the EU budget According to the Economist of 18 October 1997, the European Commission was unable, at a recent meeting of Ecofin, to give figures for net contributions to the EU budget for each Member State. Given the importance of this subject, and the high degree of public interest in it, will the Commission now take the opportunity to publish the list of net contributions to the EU budget for each Member State, using the latest available figures? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (14 January 1998) In a paper forwarded to the EcoFin Council (a copy is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parliamentís secretariat) the Commission explained the reasons why it does not produce estimates of budgetary positions for the Member States