92002E2480

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2480/02

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 September 2002)

Subject: Growth hormones in dairy cattle

When does the current EU moratorium on the use of growth hormones in dairy cattle expire?

Does the Commission intend to renew this moratorium?

What is the current position of the US Administration and World Trade Organisation on this matter?

Will the Commission please formally restate the reasons for the position it takes?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2002)

It is assumed that the question of the Honourable Member refers to the previous moratorium on the use of bovine somatotrophin (BST) which was replaced by a formal prohibition on its use under the provisions of Council Decision 1999/879/EC of 17 December 1999 concerning the placing on the market and administration of bovine somatotrophin (BST) and repealing Decision 90/218/EEC(1). The prohibition of the use of BST laid down in this Decision has no time limit.

Decision 1999/879/EC does not apply to food and animals imported from third countries. Consequently neither the United States nor other members of the World Trade Organisation have raised this issue.

Decision 1999/879/EC was proposed by the Commission and adopted by the Council in order to protect animal health and welfare, following the opinion the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare of 10 March 1999. The Committee concluded that BST should not be used in dairy cows because it increases the risk of clinical mastitis as well as the duration of treatment of mastitis, it increases the incidence of foot and leg disorders, it can induce severe reactions at the injection site and it can adversely affect reproduction. These effects, some of which are both painful and debilitating, lead to poorer animal welfare and greater animal morbidity.

The Commission has no plans to review this decision.

(1) OJ L 331, 23.12.1999.