WRITTEN QUESTION E-2573/99 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission. Commission reports on veterinary missions carried out in Belgium and Ireland.
C 225 E/170 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 8. 2000 1. What progress has been made on the Energy Charter Protocol? Is the Council aware of the Arthur D. Little study on the operation of the Secretariat of the Energy 2. Charter? 3. What is the status of this report, and when can it be made available to the Member States and the European Parliament? Is it true that the Finnish Presidency has requested Mr Schütterle, Secretary-General of the Energy 4. Charter, to communicate the report to the Member States? 5. Is it true that Germany considers it inappropriate to publish this report? Reply (28 February 2000) The Energy Charter Treaty and the Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environ- mental Aspects were signed in 1994. In accordance with Article 44 of the ECT, the Treaty and the Protocol entered into force on 16 April 1998, i. e. on the 90th day after the date of deposit of the 30th instrument of ratification with the Portuguese Republic, acting as depositary of the Treaty. At this stage, 40 countries have ratified the Energy Charter. As far as the European Union is concerned, all the Member States and the European Communities have ratified it. With regard to the report drawn up by the management consultancy firm Arthur D. Little on the operation of the Secretariat of the Energy Charter, this report falls within the internal management remit of that organisation. It is therefore not for the Council to comment on whether and when the report mentioned could be made available to the Member States and the European Parliament. However, in connection with the preparation of the last session of the Energy Charter Conference which was held in Brussels on 7 December 1999, the Finnish Presidency did express the desire to have this report. It should be noted that the Conference unanimously decided to appoint a new Secretary-General to replace Mr Schütterle. The person in question is Ms Ria Kemper, who took up her duties on 1 January 2000. (2000/C 225 E/188) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2573/99 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Commission reports on veterinary missions carried out in Belgium and Ireland On 22 February 1999, the Commission published a Mission Report on a veterinary mission to Belgium. The Report revealed serious breaches in Belgium of Council Directive 91/628/EEC (1) on the protection of animals during transport, including the transport of unfit animals and the acceptance by the Belgian authorities of route plans for long journeys for pigs, even though the plans made no provision for the pigs to be rested, fed and watered after 24 hoursí travel, as required by Directive 91/628/EEC. On 18 August 1999, the Commission published a Mission Report on a veterinary mission to Ireland. This revealed serious breaches in Ireland of Council Directive 91/628/EEC. What steps is the Commission taking to require the Belgian and Irish authorities to ensure compliance with the requirements of Council Directive 91/628/EEC? (1) OJ L 340, 11. 12. 1991, p. 17. 8. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 225 E/171 Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (4 February 2000) The Belgian authorities were asked to send comments on the facts reported by the Commissionís food and veterinary office (FVO) in relation to a mission to Belgium on the protection of animals during transport. Although a reminder was sent and a new date of 30 August 1999 was fixed by which the authorities were to inform the Commission of measures taken to rectify the deficiencies, a reply has still not been received. The Commission will shortly take a decision with regard to opening infringement proceedings under Article 226 (ex-Article 169)of the EC Treaty in respect of the reported breaches by Belgium of its obligations under Council Directive 91/628/EEC as amended by Directive 95/29/EC of June 1995, concerning the protection of animals during transport (1). Concerning the recommendations of the report of the FVO mission to Ireland on the protection of animals during transport carried out during 1998 and 1999, the Commission was informed by the Irish authorities that a programme would be initiated targeting in particular the deficiencies highlighted within the country. The Commission has not yet received this programme. The Commission has recently convened a new working group on the protection of animals during long distance transport which aims to consider all the problems involved in the enforcement of the relevant directives and possible solutions to these problems. Representatives of the authorities from Belgium and Ireland are both participating in this working group. (1) OJ L 148, 30. 6. 1995. (2000/C 225 E/189) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2576/99 by Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Dietary and natural health products Could the Commission please indicate whether there is any intention to harmonise legislation with regard to dietary supplements and natural health products? Could the Commission also outline the differing positions of the Member States regarding the classification of health products as medicines? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (12 January 2000) The Commission had intended to put forward a proposal for a Parliament and Council directive on food supplements containing vitamins and minerals early in the year 2000. The term ánatural health productí is not defined in Community legislation and the Commission has no intention to propose specific measures regarding these products. Existing Community pharmaceutical legislation makes no distinction between ánaturalí or ánon-naturalí products. According to Article 1 of Council Directive 65/65/EEC, of 26 January 1965 on the approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to proprietary medicinal products (1), any substance or combination of substances presented for treating or preventing disease in human beings or animals shall be regarded as a medicinal product. Likewise, any substance or combination of substances which may be administered to human beings or animals with a view to making a medicinal diagnosis or to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions in human beings or animals, has to be considered a medicinal product. The decision whether a ánatural health productí falls under the above definition of medicinal product and therefore needs to be authorised as medicinal product must be taken by the national authorities on a case by case approach, taking into account both the ingredients and the presentation of a concrete áhealth productí