Horse meat imported from the United States below EU standards

19.3.2013

Question for written answer E-003094-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Kartika Tamara Liotard (GUE/NGL)

There was an article in the European Voice of 14 March 2013 on horse meat imported from the United States and sold on the European market which falls below all EU standards for health and food safety. Although it simply does not meet our health and food safety standards, it accounts for about 20% of the horse meat on the EU market. Horses in the United States are administered a multitude of drugs, including phenylbutazone, which pose extensive health risks for consumers and which would never enter the food chain in the EU because of the legislation on consumer protection here that guarantees food safety.

1. Is the Commission aware of these practices?

2. To what extent is the Commission going to take action in order to guarantee public health and food safety for European citizens?

3. Several NGOs have already called on the Commission to introduce a moratorium in the EU on the sale of horse meat from the United States, Canada and Mexico. To what extent is the Commission considering a moratorium in order to guarantee food and consumer safety? If the Commission is not considering a moratorium, does that not mean that country-of-origin labelling is necessary for both imports and exports and for fresh and processed meat?

4. Can the Commission confirm that it received information on this as early as February and March 2012 from the NGOs The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International?

5. Why has the Commission not yet taken any action, considering that it would have been perfectly justified to do so under international treaties and agreements (WTO, GATT, SPSS, etc.)?

OJ C 11 E, 15/01/2014