WRITTEN QUESTION E-0895/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Assessment of the dioxin crisis in Belgium.
C 374 E/180 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (2 May 2000) In order to ensure a high level of public health and consumer protection, point 5 of the Annex to Commission Decision 91/516/EEC of 9 September 1991, establishing a list of ingredients the use of which is prohibited in compound feedingstuffs (1), specifically prohibits the use of sludge from sewage plants treating waste waters. This rule does not differ in substance between language versions. However, in order to leave no doubt as to the scope of the prohibition, a draft Commission decision amending Decision 91/516/EEC was submitted to the opinion of the standing committee for feedingstuffs on 29th February 2000. This draft decision, which secured a favourable opinion of this committee, states that all wastes obtained from the various phases of the urban, domestic and industrial waste water treatment process, irrespective of any further processing of these wastes and irrespective also of the origin of the waste waters, shall be prohibited in compound feedingstuffs. (1) OJ L 281, 9. 10. 1991. (2000/C 374 E/212) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0895/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (22 March 2000) Subject: Assessment of the dioxin crisis in Belgium The dioxin crisis in Belgium once again demonstrated how vulnerable the food chain, and checks on it, are. An assessment such as that made by the Dioxin Committee of the Chamber of Representatives can help to eliminate problems. Both the European Union and the fifteen Member States have an important role to play in this. The Members of Parliament repeatedly call for áclear, complete guidelines on the responsible use of animal wasteí. Are the existing guidelines clear and complete enough to ensure that animal waste is used responsibly? (a) (b) If so, on what grounds does the Commission ü unlike the Dioxin Committee ü consider that the guidelines on the responsible use of animal waste are clear and complete? If not, will the Commission draft proposals for establishing a clear and complete system for the responsible use of animal waste? Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (12 May 2000) The Commission shares the view of the dioxin committee of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives on the issue of animal waste. The possible exclusion of certain animal waste from the feed chain has been discussed for some time at political, technical and scientific level. In the light of these discussions, it is considered appropriate to prohibit the recycling of high-risk animal waste into the feed chain. To this end, a proposal for a Council and Parliament regulation establishing new rules for the disposal and the processing of animal waste is in preparation. Its submission to the Council and to the Parliament is scheduled for June 2000