Brussels, 25/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - Following the recommendation in second reading by the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers of the EU adopted without debate on Tuesday (Spain voted against the draft and the United Kingdom abstained) a directive to make the Community ban on growth hormones more compatible with WTO rules, which in 1998, judged that this measure lacked foundation. Strengthened by this verdict, the USA (which uses these substances) had imposed retaliation measures on some European exports, equal to more than EUR 100 million.
The directive adopted aims to definitively ban the growth hormone which it proved to be totally carcinogenic, oestradiol 17 beta, and maintain a temporary ban on five other growth hormones, while waiting for further scientific information on them. The compromise reached with the Parliament guarantees the ban on oestradiol 17 beta (three years after entry into force of the directive) but authorises the use of this substance (although the five other hormones remain temporarily banned for therapeutic reasons or for zootechnic treatment. After reaching a political agreement in December 2002 (EUROPE 17 December 2002), the Council adopted a common position on this draft on 20 February 2003 before submitting it to the vote at the European Parliament in second reading. Three amendments to the common position were adopted by the Parliament. these amendments were agreed to by Coreper on 16 July 2003.