92002E1008

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1008/02

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(15 April 2002)

Subject: Food products containing toys

Suffocation is one of the most common accidents amongst children in the EU. Death by suffocation occurs when children are still at the oral development stage and instinctively place things in their mouth.

In recent years there has been increasing concern over new food products which contain toys. Such concern has arisen because of statistics which reveal that children are dying as a result of suffocation caused by toys contained in food products, such as cereals and chocolate eggs.

Does the Commission not think that specific action should be taken in order to protect children from the risks inherent in toys contained in food products?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-1008/02 and E-1218/02given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2002)

The Commission has already answered several previous parliamentary questions on the issue raised by the Honourable Member. He is therefore asked to refer to the joint answers given to Written Questions E-0504/02 by Ms Karamanou and E-0548/02 by Mr Alavanos(1), and to Written Questions E-2630/00 by Mr Moreira Da Silva, E-2631/00 by Ms Damião and E-2632/00 by Mr Lage(2).

(1) See page 153.

(2) OJ C 136 E, 8.5.2001.