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8 June 2016 - Marian Harkin – [E-004726-16] - Subject: Imports of chlorinated chicken under the TTIP agreement:
In response to Written
Question P-002677/2016 [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=WQ&reference=P-2016-002677&language=EN]
regarding imports of chlorinated chicken under the TTIP agreement, EU Health
and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis did not categorically rule
out the importation of the product under a TTIP agreement, but rather stated
that ‘no antimicrobial treatments will be approved in the EU unless there is a
clear scientific assessment confirming that they are beneficial for consumers
(i.e. reduction of microbial contamination and reduction of safety risks)’. In
this context, is the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) currently assessing
the safety of chlorinated chicken or any other antimicrobial treatment of meat
or carcases so as to evaluate whether or not they enhance the hygiene requirements
that EU legislation requires to be applied throughout the food-chain process?
Or are there any plans to
request that EFSA carry out such an assessment?
Answer
given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission (27 July 2016):
«The Commission is committed to uphold high standards and
levels of health, safety, and environmental protection in the EU. The
negotiation for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is
not going to change that. The Commission has repeatedly underlined that the
overall objective in TTIP is to cut unnecessary red tape, reduce the costs of
doing business across the Atlantic and make it easier for companies to comply
with both American and European laws, while maintaining the appropriate levels
of protection set by each side.
Where a request is made to the Commission to authorise
a product for the antimicrobial treatment of meat or carcases, the European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA) may be requested to carry out a risk assessment as
part of the risk analysis of the product. There are currently no such
applications, nor risk assessments in progress. However, if such an application
were to be made in the future, EFSA may be requested to carry out an
assessment.».
