Péter Olajos (PPE-DE), – in writing. (HU) We often hear the complaint that the EU tries to regulate everything while at the same time failing to address important questions.

Many of us may think that this report is also of this nature. This would be a mistake, however. For in this case, we are talking about ‘foodstuffs’ consumed by human beings – this is what we would like to render more secure in the interests of our citizens.

The existing regulations are out of date, and make it problematic for veterinarians to restock their store of medicines. For this reason, appropriate regulation for the distinctive features of this branch is needed.

Nowadays more and more pharmaceutical companies have a division dealing with animal products, which generate considerable revenue. The demand is growing steadily, as animals also fall ill, and now, when food is increasingly valuable, it is worth preventing this.

Yet in recent times, several pieces of information have come to our attention to the effect that certain companies are working on how to ‘obtain’ more from animals. Rapidly growing chickens, pigs that are fattened to enormous size in a matter of months. All this in done with (medicinal) products which are often harmful to human beings.

This is why every single preparation that is given to animals must be tested, in collaboration with the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA), to determine whether or not residues of such products that remain in the animals and are later consumed by human beings present any danger.

The testing is paid for by the company. We also need to emphasise the possibility of a fast-track procedure, which reduces the time needed for administration, and it is also important that veterinarians thus have much more rapid access to the medicinal products.

Nothing is more important that human health, and therefore we need to erect a barrier to‘animal doping’ motivated by monetary gain.