Consumer safety and food quality

 

Doc. 7602

28 June 1996

 

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

presented by MM. LACOUR, JEAMBRUN and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.         The Assembly, in its earlier Recommendation 1142 (1991) on the labelling of quality food products and more recently in Recommendation 1244 (1994) on food and health, stressed the importance of promoting the production of quality foodstuffs and of increasing information to consumers on aspects related to food quality and safety.

2.         In its Recommendation 1289 (1996) on animal welfare and livestock transport in Europe, the Assembly expressed its concern that "certain practices or types of treatment which are intended to make livestock grow faster or increase their yield; apart from the suffering they may cause animals, these practices, which range from dosing with drugs or hormones to genetic manipulation, may be harmful to humans".

3.         The tragic incident of the "mad cow" disease or BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), but also other reports on noxious residues, substances, bacteria or viruses contained in foodstuffs, have illustrated that a revision of certain practices of the food industry might well be in the interest of consumers as well as producers and distributors.

4.         Increasing international trade in agricultural commodities requires that strict controls be applied to guarantee that consumer safety is assured through quality food products.

5.         Consequently, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

            i. review consumer safety issues within its intergovernmental programme of activities with a view to improving legislation practices in this field (animal farming, residues in food, food packaging, use of pharmaceutical products, etc);

            ii. conduct this work in co-operation with the European Union and in association with the European consumer organisations;

            iii. invite member governments and the European Union to work with the European food industry (from producer to consumer) for the improvement of consumer safety and for the promotion of quality foodstuffs resulting from healthy production, handling, transformation and storage practices.

Signed[1]:

Lacour, France, LDR

Jeambrun, France, LDR

Kollwelter, Luxembourg, SOC

Ghimpu, Moldova, -

J. Thompson, United Kingdom, SOC

Szakal, Hungary, EDG

Burbien�, Lithuania, SOC

Mackie of Benshie, United Kingdom, LDR

Scheer, Germany, SOC

van der Linden, Netherlands, EPP

Telgmaa, Estonia, EDG

Cummings, United Kingdom, SOC

Korkeaoja, Finland, LDR

Tiuri, Finland, EDG

Connolly, Ireland, LDR

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[1]        SOC : Socialist Group

            EPP : Group of the European People's Party

            EDG : European Democratic Group

            LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

            UEL : Group of the Unified European Left