WRITTEN QUESTION E-1147/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority.
C 53 E/84 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 2. 2001 For historical reasons there are separate rules for plant products and animal products. The Commission is to propose a new comprehensive regulation which will restate the existing legislative requirements in respect of hygiene (section 72). The basic principle will be that food operators are responsible for the safety of the food they produce. This approach reflects developments at international level. In addition to the microbiological criteria, what other objectives does the Commission have in mind for the new comprehensive regulation? (2001/C 53 E/106) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1147/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (11 April 2000) Subject: White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority The White Paper on Food Safety (COM(1999) 719 final) was published in January 2000. Chapter 4 is concerned with establishing a European Food Authority (EFA). Chapter 5 considers legislation on food safety. Specific requirements exist at EU level for only a few contaminants, although many rules exist at national level, (section 73). This leads to disparities in consumer health protection within the EU and also to practical problems for the control authorities and industry. There is a need for standards for contaminants in the entire chain from animal feed to end product. The scientific basis for setting these limits needs to be addressed as a matter of priority. 1. What are the Commissionís plans with regard to standards for contaminants? 2. 3. For which contaminants does the EU want to set limits? How does the Commission define its priorities? Is the Commission considering giving the Authority the future power to set limits for contaminants? 4. If not, who will be given the power to set such limits? (2001/C 53 E/107) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1148/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (11 April 2000) Subject: White Paper on Food Safety and the European Food Authority The White Paper on Food Safety (COM(1999) 719 final) was published in January 2000. Chapter 4 is concerned with establishing a European Food Authority (EFA). Chapter 5 considers legislation on food safety. There are no harmonised requirements for the frequency of checks on residues of pesticides (section 74). The Commission wants to gradually introduced limits for all pesticides in raw materials. Measures will bed taken to make good the shortcomings ion checks and in laboratory research. In addition, some pesticides in use have not been evaluated at EU level. Files have been submitted for authorisation for new pesticides. The approval procedure for new pesticides needs to bed speeded up. The review of the approval of existing pesticides needs to be streamlined so as to remove from the market products for which safety data are lacking or for which safety concerns have been identified. This will promote the use of safer pesticides. Is the Commission considering additional requirements for the frequency of checks on pesticide 1. residues? If not, why not, given the adverse effect on humans and the environment?