Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 7 June 2011 - Strasbourg

EHEC outbreak in the EU Member States (debate)

  János Áder (PPE) , in writing. – (HU) The latest German food safety scandal has directed our attention to the deficiencies of adequate regulatory supervision once again. Consumers’ faith in the diligence of food producers and, not least, in the professional operation of supervisory authorities, was shaken once more. In a well-functioning rule of law state, consumers have good reason to believe that the food that ends up on their tables and that they give to their children is safe to consume. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that this faith has been shaken. It is enough to think of the poisoned tomato scandal in Hungary, but we might mention January’s dioxin-contaminated pork scandal in Germany as well. All these sad events call our attention time and again to the fact that the state must strengthen regulatory inspections, and act against all deficiencies or abuses in the strictest possible manner. It is, after all, absolutely impossible to expect citizens to carry out this work instead of the state. We cannot get trained to become food scientists or install laboratories capable of inspecting food in our homes. Instead, the right solution is to impose the strictest sanctions against those who violate regulations, and not be afraid to even shut down businesses.