91996E2892

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2892/96 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission (31 October 1996)

Subject: Control of hormones in meat

Is the Commission satisfied that the residue sampling programme undertaken by third countries who are on the list of countries allowed to export fresh meat to the Union provides adequate safeguards to protect the health of European consumers?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (10 December 1996)

The checks carried out to verify the guarantees which non-member countries can offer with regard to residue sampling in fresh meat exported to the Community are of three types.

Since 1989 each non-member country has drawn up a plan for checks based on laboratory analyses which is submitted to the Member States for their views. This plan is compared with the results of the analyses for the year in question and alterations are requested if necessary.

On-the-spot inspections are carried out to ensure that the plan and, where positive results are detected, the measures taken by the national authorities are being implemented. The Commission may take, and, in fact, has already taken, measures against non-member countries where certain shortcomings have been detected.

In addition, the Member States check the quality of imported meat and undertake laboratory analyses as part of the physical checks carried out at frontiers. For several years, no Member State has reported to the Commission cases of positive tests or anomalies detected during these checks.