91997E2372

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2372/97 by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission (10 July 1997)

Subject: Proposals for an EU ban on hormone-treated meat

The European Farmers' Coordination (EFC) has called on the EU to ban hormone-treated meat and campaign for an international ban. The World Trade Organization is currently dealing with this issue and an international arbitration panel has been set up because of differences of opinion between the EU and the US.

According to the EFC, 'neither farmers nor consumers need hormones and the principle of long-term health precaution must prevail'.

Because recent policy statements from the Commission have indicated that it too believes in the principle of long-term health precaution, will it work for a ban on hormone-treated meat both in the EU and internationally?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 September 1997)

The Commission is aware that the European farmers'co-ordination is in favour of the maintenance of the ban on hormone treated meat, both in the Community and for its import from third countries.

In the context of the World trade organization (WTO) panel on hormones in Geneva, the Commission invoked the precautionary principle in support of its claims, and defended the position that the Community's right to decide what level of sanitary protection it deems appropriate for its citizen should be fully recognised by the Sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.

The Honourable Member may rest assured that the Commission will use all the legal means at its disposal in the appeals procedure at the WTO to defend the present Community legislation.