(2004/C 65 E/267)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2977/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 October 2003)

Subject:   High prices and inadequate veterinary inspections in Greece

According to Greek consumer organisations and the Greek Ministry of Development prices watchdog body, consumer prices have increased steeply over the past year, while wholesalers (particularly in the agricultural sector) are coming under growing criticism for purchasing products cheaply in situ and selling them at very high prices, doubling or tripling the final amounts paid by consumers in Greece.

According to the most recent Eurostat data, per capita income in Greece amounts to scarcely 67 % -69 % of the Community average while salaries and pensions there are among the lowest in the EU.

Added to this, the strike by veterinarians and related professions in the livestock sector has left enormous gaps in the Greek meat marketing sector, legal livestock slaughtering having come to a halt in Greece (without the necessary veterinary inspections) and large quantities of meat are being imported (mainly from third countries) regarding which it is impossible to establish whether adequate inspections were carried out in the countries of slaughter.

What immediate action can the Commission take to ensure that the Greek authorities introduce price inspections which are effective (and not purely nominal as has been the case until now) and to impose heavy fines for price speculation? Is the Commission aware of the situation regarding meat marketing in Greece in view of repeated observations by Commissioner Byrne to the effect that health standards in Greek slaughterhouses and meat markets fall far short of those in other EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(4 November 2003)

The Commission is continuing to monitor the hygiene conditions in meat markets and slaughterhouses in Greece and refers the Honourable Member to replies already given this year to his Written Question E-1709/03 (1), and Written Questions E-691/03 by Mr Hatzidakis (2) and P-558/03 by Mr Papayannakis (3). The Commission has no special knowledge of the impact of the circumstances described in the Honourable Member's written question. It is writing to the Member State concerned to request information and will inform the Honourable Member of its findings.

Community consumer law does not provide for means to control prices for goods offered to consumers. It only stipulates by Directive 98/6/EC that the indication of the selling price and the price per unit of measurement offered by traders to consumers improves consumer information and facilitate the comparison of prices. Inflationary price increases however are not covered by Community consumer law.

(1)  OJ C 11 E, 15.1.2004, p. 217.

(2)  OJ C 222 E, 18.9.2003, p. 228.

(3)  OJ C 161 E, 10.7.2003, p. 226.