91997E2822

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2822/97 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (V) to the Commission (1 September 1997)

Subject: Damage to the environment due to destruction of surplus fruit and vegetables

In its answer to my Question E-1705/97 ((OJ C 76, 11.3.1998, p. 43. )) the Commission asked for further details as it was unaware of the situation. The Commission obviously does not examine very carefully the reports of the Court of Auditors, since the annual report for the year 1994 (dated 14 November 1995) has a long passage on this in paragraph 2.118 et seq 'Environmental impact of withdrawn produce' (p.79):

'In general 60% of the produce withdrawn is destroyed. The method used is that the products are tipped into trenches and covered with earth or denatured with oil and crushed. The repetition of this practice for many years and the enormous quantities of produce buried have caused a problem of environmental pollution in the areas where destruction of withdrawn produce has regularly taken place.

The rotten fruit has polluted the surface and underground waters in the regions concerned. Heavy investment is required for remedying the problem by building special plants. In addition, some regions have introduced environmental taxes to be used to assist disposal. Furthermore, the rotten fruit is, in itself, a source of pollution as it attracts various insects which infest and damage the surrounding crops.'

With this additional information, can the Commission answer my questions about the distribution of this environmental damage among municipalities, regions and countries and the cost of remedying such damage?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (16 October 1997)

In its Reply to the Court of Auditors' annual report for 1994 ((OJ C 303, 14.11.1995. )) the Commission stated that it was 'aware of the serious environmental problems caused by the destruction of fruit and vegetables'.

This was why the Commission's proposal to the Council on reform of the common organisation for the fruit and vegetable markets contained a number of environmental constraints, in particular an obligation on producer organisations and Member States to draw up specifications for environmentally sound methods of market withdrawal (Articles 23 and 25 of Regulation (EEC) No 2200/96 on common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables ((OJ L 297, 21.11.1996. ))).

This is not inconsistent with the fact that the Commission, as stated in its Reply to written question E-1705/97 by the Honourable Member, was unaware of the specific facts behind the Court's statements in the 1994 annual report. These facts (regions involved, Member States' measures and details of actual damage) were not notified to the Commission, which has asked the Court to provide concrete information (damage, regions, municipalities) on the points raised in written questions E-1901/96 and E-1902/96 ((OJ C 60, 26.7.1997. )). It will pass this information directly to the Honourable Member.