WRITTEN QUESTION P-0768/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Misleading of Brussels by the Netherlands authorities.
26. 1. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 26 E/109 The Commission intends to continue to work to improve the protection of human rights -including the rights of minority cultural, religious and linguistic groups ü in Turkey, and will continue to target project assistance to this end. As from year 2000, the two relevant budget lines (B-705 and B-704) will be managed by the same Commission service, so as to enhance complementarity. The Commission hopes that, now that Turkey is a candidate, diplomatic pressure will not be required to ensure that projects receiving Community grant aid can operate without difficulty. (2001/C 26 E/134) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0768/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Misleading of Brussels by the Netherlands authorities (9 March 2000) According to the Algemeen Dagblad of 29. 2. 2000 ( Overheid misleidt Brusselí ü the authorities mislead Brussels), cows at 350 Dutch dairy farms are suffering from an unidentified disease. A farm in Zelhem has been sealed off. The cows are displaying symptoms of listlessness. There have been problems with this unidentified disease for more than a year now. Some cows are falling down, and a few have even died. Pursuant to Directive 92/46/EEC (1) of 16 June 1992 on hygiene rules for milk, only milk from cows whose general state of health is not visibly impaired may be processed and sold. (See Annex A, point 1(a)(iv)). The state of health of the cows on the above-mentioned 350 farms is visibly unsatisfactory. Is the Commission aware of this situation in the Netherlands? If so, does it consider that the 1. Netherlands is implementing European legislation ü particularly Directive 92/46/EEC ü correctly? If the Commission considers that the Netherlands is not implementing European legislation correctly, 2. how will it compel the Netherlands to do so? (1) OJ L 268, 14. 9. 1992, p. 1. (2001/C 26 E/135) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0788/00 by Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission (9 March 2000) Subject: Contamination of Dutch dairy products On 29 February there were a number of press reports on the possibility of Dutch dairy products being contaminated by a viral infection affecting dairy cattle at 350 to 600 farms. Although the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture has apparently known about this for some time, no ban has been imposed on any farm and the milk from the infected animals is still being processed into drinking milk and other dairy products. Has the Commission been informed by the Dutch authorities of this contamination? Can the Commission say whether the Rapid Alert System has been activated to inform the other Member States? Can the Commission say whether the contamination represents a risk to public health? If so, what action does the Commission intend taking to protect public health?