WRITTEN QUESTION E-0278/00 by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (PSE) to the Commission. Situation regarding imports of game and wildfowl from Russia.
24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 303 E/171 Because of their differences in methodology and purpose, the two publications do not, therefore, lend themselves to comparison; their results should be seen as complementing, not contradicting, each other. (2000/C 303 E/191) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0278/00 by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (PSE) to the Commission (7 February 2000) Subject: Situation regarding imports of game and wildfowl from Russia The EU has not yet authorised imports of game from Russia on the grounds that there have been occasional instances of foot-and-mouth disease and Newcastle disease in some parts of the country. However, those diseases are not present, and reportedly have never been present, in the northern regions which are of interest to Nordic importers of game among others. The procedure for providing veterinary documentation in Russia, however, is inadequate, which has led to delays in assessing various regions in that country. The process of assessing northern Russia has lasted several years and no findings are forthcoming. What information can the Commission provide about the current situation in this regard to enable Nordic importers of game, among others, to obtain clarification of the conditions applying to imports of game from northern Russia? Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (28 March 2000) Commission Decision 97/217/EC of 28 February 1997, lays down groups of third countries, or parts thereof, which are authorised to use the veterinary certification for imports of wild game meat, farmed game meat and rabbit meat from third countries (1). A Community veterinary inspection mission has been carried out in the Russian region of Murmansk, to assess the animal and public health situation as regards the possible imports into the Community of wild cloven-hoofed game meat, excepting swine. The missionís findings were encouraging and the guarantees given by the national authorities satisfactory. This allowed the Commission to amend by Decision 2000/161/EC of 14 February 2000 (2) the above- from the Russian region of mentioned decision to authorise the imports of Murmansk. farmed reindeer meat As a consequence, and following the adoption of the list of Russian establishments from which Member States authorise the import of farmed game meat, as per Commission Decision 00/161/EC of 14 February 2000 amending Decision 97/217/EC2, Russia will be in a position to export farmed game meat to the Community from the approved establishments of the Murmansk region. (1) OJ L 88, 3. 4. 1997. (2) OJ L 51, 24. 2. 2000. (2000/C 303 E/192) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0284/00 by Hans-Peter Mayer (PPE-DE) to the Commission (11 February 2000) Subject: Principle of equality in the British nationality acquisition criteria The British nationality acquisition criteria are such that children of a British mother and a foreign father cannot lay claim to British nationality if they were born before 1 January 1983, because up to that time only the fatherís nationality could be passed on to children