---

1 Sept 2003 : Column 831W—continued

EU Bio-waste Directive

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which stakeholders the Government have (a) consulted and (b) plan to consult on proposals for an EU Bio-waste Directive; and if she will make a statement. [125124]

Mr. Morley: The Government discussed the EU Working Document on Biological Treatment of Bio-waste with interested parties when it was published in 2000. We will consult stakeholders formally when a draft Directive is produced, which is not expected until 2004.

EU Committees

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110302]

Mr. Bradshaw: The EU committee on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs does not have a fixed membership, but consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 European member states.

The Committee has met only once since January 2002, on 22 July 2002, to discuss amendments to the current Commission regulation setting out the detailed rules for the administration of the scheme. These discussions are continuing.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House. [110489]

Mr. Bradshaw: The EU committee on geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs does not have a fixed membership, but consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 European member states. Since 17 April 2003, delegates from the 10 EU accession states have also been invited to attend meetings.

The Committee has met on the following dates since January 2002: 9 April 2002, 16 May 2002, 22 July 2002, 5 February 2003, and 4 June 2003. It discusses a range of issues relating to the operation of the scheme as well as particular applications such as whether or not feta cheese should be registered as a Protected Designation

1 Sept 2003 : Column 832W

of Origin. The Committee also considered the implications of Judgments from the European Court of Justice relating to Parma Ham and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Any legislative proposals are submitted to Parliament under established scrutiny procedures and are considered and reported on by the House of Lords European Union Committee, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee and the devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland. This happened in the case of the proposal to register feta cheese.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU Standing Veterinary Committee, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House. [110495]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH), which was known as the Standing Veterinary Committee prior to March 2002, has met 46 times between 1 January 2002 and 7 July 2003. The meetings are attended by veterinary and technical experts from all Member States, Norway, Iceland and, more recently, Accession States. The Chief Veterinary Officer is the official representative for the UK although a deputy usually attends in his place.

The agendas cover a wide variety of animal and public health issues. The Committee can adopt secondary legislation in the form of Commission Decisions and Regulations. Most Decisions are adopted to address immediate but routine disease or contamination problems within the EU or in non EU countries and it is therefore not appropriate to communicate such decisions to the House. There have, however, been rare occasions since January 2002 where issues before the Committee have been subject to Parliamentary Scrutiny.

Full reports of SVC and SCoFCAH meetings including details of the decisions can be viewed on the Commission website. The addresses are:

www.europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/svc/index en.html

and www.europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scfcah/ahaw/index en.html

EU Constitution

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of the proposed European Constitution upon the UK's environmental policy; and if she will make a statement. [126763]

Mr. Morley: The Convention's proposals would have no direct effect on the UK's environment policy, and would leave environmental policy at EU level largely unchanged. Environmental matters handled at EU level would generally continue to be subject to co-decision

1 Sept 2003 : Column 833W

with the European Parliament and to Qualified Majority Voting within the Council of Ministers. The draft of the new treaty prepared by the Convention on Future of Europe for discussion at the Inter Governmental Conference this Autumn retains the key provisions of the current treaties that refer to the environment and to the need for environmental protection requirements to be taken into account in other Community policies with a view to promoting sustainable development.

The UK is also opposed to the proposal to establish a Single Legislative Council. This would weaken the direct involvement of the Environment Ministers in policy formation as well as in negotiating environmental legislation.

1 Sept 2003 : Column 834W

EU Directives

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8 June 2001. [126589]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plays a leading role in the UK's EU policy on the environment , agriculture, fisheries, animal and plant health. Since 8 June 2001, this Department has led on the implementation of 76 directives. The following table shows the directives implemented during the period.

Details of all directives implemented can be found on the Eur-Lex database available on the European Union's website.

Directive number	Directive name	Policy area	Date agreed	Actual UK
1991/338/EEC	Amending for the 10th time Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations	Env	18 June 1991	28 April 2003
1996/061/EC	Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control	Env	24 September 1996	6 March 2003
1996/062/EC	Ambient air quality assessment and management	Env	27 September 1996	19 July 2002
1997/049/EC	Conversation of wild birds	Env	28 July 1997	20 December 2001
1997/078/EC	Laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries	Agri	18 September 1997	6 December 2002
1997/079/EC	Organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries	Agri	18 December 1997	6 December 2002
1998/058/EC	Protection of farmed animals	Agri	6 April 1998	27 November 2001
1998/083/EC	Drinking Water Directive	Env	3 November 1998	20 December 2002
1998/095/EC	Genetically modified plant varieties	Agri	14 December 1998	25 February 2002
1998/096/EC	Unofficial field inspections	Agri	14 December 1998	25 February 2002
1999/008/EC	Marketing of cereal seed	Agri	18 February 1999	15 November 2001
1999/022/EC	Keeping of wild animals in zoos	Env	29 March 1999	22 April 2003
1999/030/EC	Limit Values for sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen and lead in ambient air	Env	22 April 1999	1 August 2002
1999/032/EC	Sulphur content of certain liquid fuels	Env	26 April 1999	1 March 2002
1999/051/EC	Restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (tin, PCP and cadmium)	Env	26 May 1999	10 April 2003
1999/054/EC	Marketing of cereal seed	Env	26 May 1999	1 November 2001
1999/071/EC	Fixing of maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	14 July 1999	25 February 2002
1999/072/EC	Protection against zoonoses	Agri	29 July 1999	11 June 2001
1999/074/EC	Protection of laying hens	Agri	19 July 1999	3 September 2002
2000/015/EC	Amending Council Directive 64/432/EC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine	Agri	8 May 2000	6 September 2002
2000/020/EC	Animal health products affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals	Agri	16 May 2000	25 February 2002
2000/024/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	28 April 2000	28 February 2002
2000/027/EC	Control of fish diseases	Agri	2 May 2000	28 February 2002
2000/029/EC	Protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants products and against their spread within the community	Agri	8 May 2000	6 September 2002
2000/037/EC	Veterinary medicinal products	Agri	5 June 2000	28 February 2002
2000/042/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	22 June 2000	28 February 2002
2000/048/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	5 July 2000	28 February 2002
2000/049/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	26 July 2000	17 August 2001
2000/050/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	26 July 2000	17 August 2001
2000/057/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	22 September 2000	28 February 2002
2000/058/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	22 September 2000	28 February 2002
2000/080/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	4 December 2000	25 February 2002
2000/081/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	18 December 2000	25 February 2002
2000/082/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	20 December 2000	25 February 2002
2001/010/EC	Scrapie	Agri	22 May 2001	17 August 2001
2001/018/EC	Deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms	Env	12 March 2001	14 March 2003
2001/021/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	5 March 2001	25 February 2002
2001/028/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	20 April 2001	25 February 2002
2001/032/EC	Recognising protected zones exposed to a particular plant health risks in the Community and repealing Directive 92/76/EEC	Agri	8 May 2001	28 February 2002
2001/033/EC	Organisms harmful to plants	Agri	8 February 2001	28 February 2002
2001/035/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	11 May 2001	25 February 2002
2001/036/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	16 May 2001	25 February 2002
2001/039/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	23 May 2001	25 February 2002
2001/047/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	25 June 2001	25 February 2002
2001/048/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	28 June 2001	25 February 2002
2001/049/EC	Placing plant protection products on the market	Agri	28 June 2001	25 February 2002
2001/057/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	25 July 2001	25 February 2002
2001/064/EC	Marketing of fodder plant seed and cereal seed	Agri	31 August 2001	5 March 2003
2001/081/EC	National emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants	Env	23 October 2001	10 January 2003
2001/082/EC	Community code relating to veterinary medicine products	Agri	6 November 2001	31 March 2003
2001/091/EC	Restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (hexachloroethane)	Env	29 October 2001	30 June 2003
2001/099/EC	Amending Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market to include glyphosate and thifensulfuron-methyl as active substances	Agri	20 November 2001	22 October 2002
2001/103/EC	Amending Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market to include 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid( 2,4-D) as an active substance	Agri	28 November 2001	22 October 2002
2001/109/EC	Statistical surveys to be carried out by Member States to determine potential of certain species of fruit trees	Agri	16 January 2002	15 May 2002
2002/005/EC	Amending Annex II to Council Directive 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables	Agri	30 January 2002	1 September 2002
2002/008/EC	Minimum conditions for examining vegetables and agricultural residues	Agri	6 February 2002	12 April 2002
2002/018/EC	Amending Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market to include isoproturon as an active substance	Agri	22 February 2002	22 October 2002
2002/023/EC	Fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables respectively	Agri	26 February 2002	19 September 2002
2002/028/EC	Protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the community	Agri	19 March 2002	24 September 2002
2002/029/EC	Amending Directive 2001/32/EC as regards certain protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the community	Agri	19 March 2002	24 September 2002
2002/031/EC	Energy labelling of household air conditioners	Env	22 March 2002	14 March 2003
2002/033/EC	Amending Directives 90/425/EEC and 92/118/EEC as regards health requirements for animal by-products	Agri	21 October 2002	30 June 2003
2002/037/EC	Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include ethofumesate as an active substance	Agri	3 May 2002	6 March 2003
2002/040/EC	Commission Directive 2002/040/EC implementing Council Directive 92/75/EEC with regard to energy labelling of household electric ovens	Env	8 May 2002	14 March 2003
2002/042/EC	Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues	Agri	17 May 2002	11 April 2003
2002/048/EC	Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include iprovalicarb, prosulfuron and sulfosulfuron as active substances	Agri	30 May 2002	6 March 2003
2002/062/EC	Adapting to technical progress for the ninth time Annex I to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States on marketing and use of (organostannic compounds)	Env	9 July 2002	14 March 2003
2002/063/EC	Establishing community methods of sampling for the official control of pesticides residues in and on products of the plant and animal origin and repealing Directive 79/700/EEC	Agri	16 July 2002	7 April 2003
2002/064/EC	Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include cinidon-ethyl, cyhalofop butyl, famoxadone, florasulam, metalaxyl-M and picolinafen as active substances	Agri	15 July 2002	7 April 2003
2002/066/EC	Amending the Annexes to Directive 76/895/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticides residues in and on fruit and vegetables	Agri	16 July 2002	11 April 2003
2002/071/EC	Non Transposition of Directive 2002/71/EC: Fixing of maximum levels for pesticides residues(fromthion, dimethoate and oxydemetonmethyl)	Agri	19 August 2002	11 April 2003
2002/076/EC	Incineration of waste	Agri	6 September 2002	11 April 2003
2002/079/EC	Non Transposition of Commission Directive 2002/79/EC amending the Annexes to Council Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards fixing of maximum levels for certain pesticides residues	Agri	2 October 2002	15 April 2003
2002/081 /EC	Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include flumioxazine as an active substance (Plant Protection Products)	Agri	10 October 2002	7 April 2003
2002/097/EC	Amending the annexes to council directives 86/362/EEC.86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC Fixing of maximum levels of pesticide in cereal and foodstuff in products of animal and plant origin	Agri	16 December 2002	15 April 2003
2002/100/EC	Maximum residue levels in azoxystrobin	Agri	20 December 2002	15 April 2003

1 Sept 2003 : Column 835W

---