Statement by John DALLI (Malta) , Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Policy, during his hearing at EP in Brussels.

Brussels

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

hearing of Commissioners

DALLI, John (MT)

2010 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of John DALLI (T)

Hearing of John DALLI (Malta) , Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Policy: extracts

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: On patient' information, we have this pharmacological package on the table. It consists on three main streams: counterfeiting, pharmacovigilance and the information to patients.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: Two of them are not controversial and my suggestion is that we should move with the two of them as far as we can, even if we have to detach the information to patients from the total package.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: I believe that within a year we can come with a report on the issue of cloning. Cloning could be discussed then with the Parliament.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: Animals treated with hormones are not allowed for importation into the European Union and this is the policy that is going to be sustained.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: Concerning allowing countries to have higher standards, the harmonised systems we have is very dangerous. They would be making damage to our internal market.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: My opinion is that I would not want to tell to the European citizens what to eat but I want to tell them what they are eating.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: I do believe that consumers are an army of people deciding all the time about our market and about the policies we presume of. There are millions of micro decisions being taken every day in the market and I offer myself to inform consumers about what they are eating, so that they influence climate change, animal welfare, all policies we are talking about.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: My political reason is the long political benefit of the European citizen. Every decision that I take must has that one political reason in it.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: I will make sure that any proposal coming from the college will have an input from the consumer angle and make sure that the consumer's considerations have been well considered.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy, on labelling depending of the country of origin, the Commissioner is asked if he it should be voluntary or mandatory: At the moment it seems to be no plans to move away from the current situation.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: This dossier needs to move forward. We all know about the debates that have happened in the Council, about the problems that we have had. My predecessor has also made a lot of efforts to make sure that this European project comes true. I would like to do my efforts as well to ensure that an understanding will be reach for an effective policy on patient's rights and mobility.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy, on the directive for patients' rights in cross-border healthcare: I have a meeting with the Spanish Minister for Health, who is holding the EU Presidency at the moment, in order to find out the way in which an understanding can be reached.

(IN ENGLISH) John DALLI, Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy: Internet as we know it. How many people have access to Internet? How many people are literate in getting online information? How many people know English, the language in which most information is distributed in the net? We could just say, let us put the information in the Internet, then whoever is able to get it, will get it, who not, not. I think it is unfair for the consumer.