Food Law News - EU - 2001
Commission Press Release (IP/01/795), 6 June 2001
CONTAMINANTS - Infringement Procedure. European Commission v. Belgium: Foodstuffs Contaminated by Dioxin
In the dioxin case against Belgium for late notification to the Commission of a situation likely to constitute a grave danger within the meaning of Directives 89/662 and 90/425, the Commission has been in contact with the Belgian authorities to ascertain that everything has been done to ensure that such an infringement is not repeated and, in particular, that the relevant authorities have been given the necessary instructions for them to discharge in full their Community obligations, as interpreted by the Commission in its reasoned opinion, such interpretation being shared by the Belgian authorities.
Since these instructions have been issued and are now being put into practice in Belgian administrative procedures, the Commission takes the view that its action has produced the required results and that it has good reason for dropping the proceedings against Belgium before the Court of Justice.
The shelving of the proceedings for infringing Directives 89/662 and 90/425 does not, of course, affect any other proceedings which may have been or may be instituted.
The Commission will continue to monitor this sector carefully, especially the way in which the national authorities discharge their obligations under Community directives.
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