92001E0768

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0768/01

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Turbo pigs

What action has the Commission taken to protect European consumers in the aftermath of the turbo pigs scandals in Austria and Germany involving revelations about the illegal use on Austrian and German pig farms of antibiotics, growth-inducing hormones and vaccines smuggled into Europe from the Far East and the United States, and what measures it has taken to ensure that no animal sold within the EU has been treated with illegal substances?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2001)

Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996, on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products(1) requires that Member States and third countries exporting food of animal origin to the Community should control use, misuse and illegal use of veterinary medical products.

Controls can be carried out by the Member States at the farm, in the slaughterhouse or at border inspection posts. Moreover, the Commission, through its Food and Veterinary Office, evaluates the ability of Member States or third countries to carry out their controls through audits and inspections. Depending on the findings of such audits and inspections, the Commission may recommend improvements, initiate infringement procedures, delete a third country from the list of countries authorised to export food of animal origin to the Community or apply a safeguard measure.

Therefore, the Commission considers that the current framework, if properly implemented, provides the tools to ensure consumer protection from misuse and illegal use of veterinary medical products in food producing animals.

(1) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996.