Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-14-Speech-2-216"
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"en.20041214.14.2-216"2
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".
The recent case of contamination demonstrated that the European Community already has the necessary integrated legislation to manage such situations in a suitable manner. That is why the question of additional measures is not being raised, at least not for the moment, the question being the need to apply existing measures correctly.
Programmes for monitoring dioxins and PCBs in food and feedingstuffs are applied throughout the European Union. Ī¤hese programmes have allowed the Dutch authorities to identify the contamination and take suitable measures to exterminate its source. There are monitoring and identification systems for identifying the undertakings and livestock units which may have been contaminated.
In order to prevent the introduction of possibly contaminated food and feedingstuffs into the food chain, the necessary containment measures have been taken for these installations. The early warning system for food and feedingstuffs operated with particular efficiency as regards the exchange of information between the competent authorities.
The adoption by the European Union of upper limits for dioxins played a primary role in the management of this case of contamination. It is indeed a legal tool for taking decisions which safeguard the protection of public health. However, we must admit that it is not possible to totally exclude the possibility of contamination of the food chain. The risk will always remain, which is why we have adopted the measures needed for us to identify and combat such risks. It is, however, of immense importance to the protection of public health that contamination be identified in the early stages through monitoring and for us to have rules which prevent and avert further contamination of the food chain.
Current Community legislation already includes such provisions. Nonetheless, the case of contamination which we are discussing today demonstrates the need to evaluate the safety not only of the ingredients of food and feedingstuffs, but also of the products which are used directly or indirectly in the preparation of food and feedingstuffs. Food safety legislation stipulates that food and feedingstuff manufacturers are responsible for product safety. The Commission will continue to emphasise this obligation to manufacturers and to monitor the controls carried out under the responsibility of the competent national agencies in order to safeguard compliance with current requirements.
Finally, as far as landfills are concerned, Community legislation has been adopted in order to ensure that landfills are designed and operated in a way which does not jeopardise human health or the environment."@en1
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