Serious food safety problems in school canteens in Castile and León

19.5.2015

Question for written answer E-007926-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Iratxe García Pérez (S&D)

The company Serunión, which is responsible for most of the school canteens in Castile and León, has played a leading role in very serious food safety incidents. Specifically, meals served to children have been found to contain worm larvae, and soups have been served in poor condition, even containing metal nuts which probably came from the processing machine.

Bearing in mind that the first incident was recorded eight months ago, that the Government of Castile and León has not taken adequate steps to guarantee the health of schoolchildren, and that it is the responsibility of the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office to require national authorities to comply with the rules:

Is the Commission going to require the Spanish authorities to take urgent action in the case of school canteens in Castile and León?

Would the Commission be prepared, using its powers to implement controls in situ, to send its FVO inspectors to the Serunión plant in order to put a stop to the food safety hazards for the schoolchildren and, if so, to open breach proceedings against the Government authorities for the negligent way in with they have acted?