B4-1093, 1094, 1095, 1097, 1099, 1129 and 1163/95

Resolution on the conference on the use of growth activators in stockfarming

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Commission reply to the oral questions on the illegal use of hormones in stockfarming,

A.whereas Directive 88/146/EEC prohibits the use of certain hormone substances in stockfarming,

B.whereas in its resolution of 16 March 1995 on combating the "hormone mafia" it called for the ban on hormone use to be considerably strengthened,

C.whereas the Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Fischler, recently announced that an international conference on the problem of hormones would be held in late November,

D.whereas it is important that all those concerned attend the conference,

E.whereas, since its abovementioned resolution, no measure has been taken by the Commission to step up checks on the illegal use of hormones,

F.whereas any doubt about the ban on the use of hormones in livestock farming damages consumers' confidence in the quality of European farm products and reduces demand,

1.Welcomes the fact that, in convening a conference on the banning of hormones, the Commission has responded to Parliament's call in paragraph 12 of its abovementioned resolution of 16 March 1995;

2.Calls on the Commission to invite independent experts to this conference in order to determine the possible risks and effects of the use of hormones on the health of consumers;

3.Calls on the Commission and Council to maintain consistency between the 1992 CAP reform and other measures concerning the production of quality animal products, while taking account of the general objective of a balanced market;

4.Calls on the Commission and Council to exercise the greatest possible transparency in this matter, through regular consultation with those concerned (consumers, producers, scientists, MEPs and the Member States);

5.Calls on the Commission in particular to make it absolutely clear that this ban on hormones and the ban on the use of BST also apply to imported farm products and foodstuffs and that this is guaranteed under current GATT/WTO rules;

6.Takes the view that budget headings B1-213 and B1-214 are of vital importance in combating the illegal use of hormones, partly because budget heading B1-213 provides an important incentive for a change of mentality among producers in the meat industry, and partly because heading B1-214 makes it possible for national authorities to coordinate measures to combat more efficiently the 'hormone mafia', which is mainly organized at international level; opposes, therefore, the deletion by the Council, at the first reading of the 1996 budget, of budget headings B1-213 and B1-214;

7.Calls on the Commission to set up a Community task force and to strengthen procedures for monitoring the use of hormones in stockfarming;

8.Draws attention to the specific nature of European agriculture and warns against the economic and social implications which authorization of these hormones could have for European agriculture and rural society;

9.Calls on the Commission to promote a system guaranteeing quality control of animal products from the farm to the consumer by introducing a recognized quality control label throughout the EU;

10.Calls on the Commission to submit an annual report on the application of the legislation concerned and the results achieved in combating fraud involving hormones used in meat production and stockfarming;

11.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments of the Member States.