WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1466/99 by Heidi HAUTALA Representation of women on committees
29. 1. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 27 E/81 (2000/C 27 E/099) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/99 by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Representation of women on committees The Members of the European Parliament and European citizens have problems in obtaining information about the advisory, management and regulatory committees which assist the Commission with the implementation of Union law under the so-called commitology procedure. These committees, of which are there probably more than 450, mainly comprise representatives appointed by the Member States. Can the Commission give overall details of the membership of the committees in question, broken down by sex? What percentage of the members of all the committees assisting the Commission are women? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (6 October 1999) As the Honourable Member states, many committees exist to assist the Commission in the so-called comitology procedures. The collection of data on the percentage of women and men in all these committees is beyond the present possibilities of the Commission. Moreover, the designations to these committees are made by the Member States, leaving the Commission no formal power to intervene. However, the Commission intends to gather data concerning committees established by it as part of its work to implement its policy on gender mainstreaming. (2000/C 27 E/100) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1467/99 by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Use of fat from deep-fat fryers in animal feedingstuffs In connection with the dioxin scandal in Belgium it has emerged that the dioxin discovered in animal feedingstuffs would appear to come from the fat used in the production of the feedingstuffs themselves. Although it is not yet clear how this has come about, it is thought that dioxin is present in the deep-fat fryers used in restaurants, in which the fat is repeatedly heated. In Sweden the recycling of frying fats in the production of animal feedingstuffs is prohibited. Does the Commission intend to ban the use of high-risk fats in animal feedingstuffs throughout the Union? How does the Commission monitor the types of fat used in the production of animal feedingstuffs? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (18 October 1999) As an aftermath of the recent dioxin contamination of oils, a programme of legislative measures, in order to guarantee the safety of products used in animal nutrition, has been recently presented to the Parliament and to the Council. Amongst these legislative measures, it is envisaged to complete the current list of feed materials the use of which is prohibited in compound feedingstuffs in order to include products for which the traceability is not fully guaranteed, or products of dubious safety. The use in animal nutrition of recycled oils and fats from the food sector is questioned. The Commission is examining together with the standing committee for feedingstuffs the existing monitoring systems of these recycled oils and fats in the different Member States and also in third countries from which these products are imported, and the safety of these products with regard to their composition and to recycling process