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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

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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

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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.

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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 numberDirective namePolicy areaDate agreedActual UK
1991/338/EECAmending 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 preparationsEnv18 June 199128 April 2003
1996/061/ECIntegrated Pollution Prevention and ControlEnv24 September 19966 March 2003
1996/062/ECAmbient air quality assessment and managementEnv27 September 199619 July 2002
1997/049/ECConversation of wild birdsEnv28 July 199720 December 2001
1997/078/ECLaying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countriesAgri18 September 19976 December 2002
1997/079/ECOrganisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countriesAgri18 December 19976 December 2002
1998/058/ECProtection of farmed animalsAgri6 April 199827 November 2001
1998/083/ECDrinking Water DirectiveEnv3 November 199820 December 2002
1998/095/ECGenetically modified plant varietiesAgri14 December 199825 February 2002
1998/096/ECUnofficial field inspectionsAgri14 December 199825 February 2002
1999/008/ECMarketing of cereal seedAgri18 February 199915 November 2001
1999/022/ECKeeping of wild animals in zoosEnv29 March 199922 April 2003
1999/030/ECLimit Values for sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen and lead in ambient airEnv22 April 19991 August 2002
1999/032/ECSulphur content of certain liquid fuelsEnv26 April 19991 March 2002
1999/051/ECRestrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (tin, PCP and cadmium)Env26 May 199910 April 2003
1999/054/ECMarketing of cereal seedEnv26 May 19991 November 2001
1999/071/ECFixing of maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri14 July 199925 February 2002
1999/072/ECProtection against zoonosesAgri29 July 199911 June 2001
1999/074/ECProtection of laying hensAgri19 July 19993 September 2002
2000/015/ECAmending Council Directive 64/432/EC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swineAgri8 May 20006 September 2002
2000/020/ECAnimal health products affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animalsAgri16 May 200025 February 2002
2000/024/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri28 April 200028 February 2002
2000/027/ECControl of fish diseasesAgri2 May 200028 February 2002
2000/029/ECProtective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants products and against their spread within the communityAgri8 May 20006 September 2002
2000/037/ECVeterinary medicinal productsAgri5 June 200028 February 2002
2000/042/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri22 June 200028 February 2002
2000/048/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri5 July 200028 February 2002
2000/049/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri26 July 200017 August 2001
2000/050/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri26 July 200017 August 2001
2000/057/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri22 September 200028 February 2002
2000/058/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri22 September 200028 February 2002
2000/080/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri4 December 200025 February 2002
2000/081/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri18 December 200025 February 2002
2000/082/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri20 December 200025 February 2002
2001/010/ECScrapieAgri22 May 200117 August 2001
2001/018/ECDeliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organismsEnv12 March 200114 March 2003
2001/021/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri5 March 200125 February 2002
2001/028/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri20 April 200125 February 2002
2001/032/ECRecognising protected zones exposed to a particular plant health risks in the Community and repealing Directive 92/76/EECAgri8 May 200128 February 2002
2001/033/ECOrganisms harmful to plantsAgri8 February 200128 February 2002
2001/035/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri11 May 200125 February 2002
2001/036/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri16 May 200125 February 2002
2001/039/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri23 May 200125 February 2002
2001/047/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri25 June 200125 February 2002
2001/048/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri28 June 200125 February 2002
2001/049/ECPlacing plant protection products on the marketAgri28 June 200125 February 2002
2001/057/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri25 July 200125 February 2002
2001/064/ECMarketing of fodder plant seed and cereal seedAgri31 August 20015 March 2003
2001/081/ECNational emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutantsEnv23 October 200110 January 2003
2001/082/ECCommunity code relating to veterinary medicine productsAgri6 November 200131 March 2003
2001/091/ECRestrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (hexachloroethane)Env29 October 200130 June 2003
2001/099/ECAmending 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 substancesAgri20 November 200122 October 2002
2001/103/ECAmending 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 substanceAgri28 November 200122 October 2002
2001/109/ECStatistical surveys to be carried out by Member States to determine potential of certain species of fruit treesAgri16 January 200215 May 2002
2002/005/ECAmending 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 vegetablesAgri30 January 20021 September 2002
2002/008/ECMinimum conditions for examining vegetables and agricultural residuesAgri6 February 200212 April 2002
2002/018/ECAmending Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market to include isoproturon as an active substanceAgri22 February 200222 October 2002
2002/023/ECFixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables respectivelyAgri26 February 200219 September 2002
2002/028/ECProtective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the communityAgri19 March 200224 September 2002
2002/029/ECAmending Directive 2001/32/EC as regards certain protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the communityAgri19 March 200224 September 2002
2002/031/ECEnergy labelling of household air conditionersEnv22 March 200214 March 2003
2002/033/ECAmending Directives 90/425/EEC and 92/118/EEC as regards health requirements for animal by-productsAgri21 October 200230 June 2003
2002/037/ECAmending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include ethofumesate as an active substanceAgri3 May 20026 March 2003
2002/040/ECCommission Directive 2002/040/EC implementing Council Directive 92/75/EEC with regard to energy labelling of household electric ovensEnv8 May 200214 March 2003
2002/042/ECFixing maximum levels of pesticide residuesAgri17 May 200211 April 2003
2002/048/ECAmending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include iprovalicarb, prosulfuron and sulfosulfuron as active substancesAgri30 May 20026 March 2003
2002/062/ECAdapting 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)Env9 July 200214 March 2003
2002/063/ECEstablishing 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/EECAgri16 July 20027 April 2003
2002/064/ECAmending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include cinidon-ethyl, cyhalofop butyl, famoxadone, florasulam, metalaxyl-M and picolinafen as active substancesAgri15 July 20027 April 2003
2002/066/ECAmending 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 vegetablesAgri16 July 200211 April 2003
2002/071/ECNon Transposition of Directive 2002/71/EC: Fixing of maximum levels for pesticides residues(fromthion, dimethoate and oxydemetonmethyl)Agri19 August 200211 April 2003
2002/076/ECIncineration of wasteAgri6 September 200211 April 2003
2002/079/ECNon 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 residuesAgri2 October 200215 April 2003
2002/081 /ECAmending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include flumioxazine as an active substance (Plant Protection Products)Agri10 October 20027 April 2003
2002/097/ECAmending 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 originAgri16 December 200215 April 2003
2002/100/ECMaximum residue levels in azoxystrobinAgri20 December 200215 April 2003

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