WRITTEN QUESTION E-1299/00 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council. Ability of Council to answer Parliamentary questions on time.
C 46 E/166 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 13. 2. 2001 Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (15 June 2000) The Commission does not aim to increase cruelty towards animals. On the contrary, the Commission is continuing its efforts to reduce the suffering inflicted on animals during testing, cut down on the number of tests, and, as far as possible and within the shortest feasible timescale, eliminate animal suffering, an aim also found in Directive 86/609/EEC regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (1). The Commission took this objective into account when drawing up its proposed seventh amendment. It does, in fact, propose to introduce a definitive ban in Europe on carrying out animal testing for both finished cosmetic products and the ingredients used for these. In addition, since the key to solving this problem is to perfect methods which substitute animal testing, the Commission is continuing its efforts to develop alternative methods, making it compulsory to use these once they have been scientifically validated at Community level. The Commission will also seek to ensure that these alternative methods obtain the rapid approval of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, thus enabling them to be used world-wide. As for the contacts which took place during the drafting of this proposal, the Commission consulted all the parties concerned by the issue of animal testing, including animal protection groups. (1) OJ L 358, 8. 12. 1986. (2001/C 46 E/191) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1299/00 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council (27 April 2000) Subject: Ability of Council to answer Parliamentary questions on time Can the Council state why I did not receive an answer to my written question on Tax Discussions (P-2219/99) (which was submitted on 5 November 1999 and which should have been answered in December) until 4 February 2000? (2001/C 46 E/192) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1300/00 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council (27 April 2000) Subject: Solutions to the Councilís frequent inability to answer Parliamentary questions on time Can the Council indicate whether slow responses on the part of certain Member States are responsible for the Councilís frequent inability to answer Parliamentary questions on time, and if so, has thought been given to setting a time limit for objections by states to suggested answers so that those answers can be provided to Members of the Parliament within the allotted time frame?