NoL340/28 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.12.91
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of19November1991
layingdownminimumstandardsfortheprotectionofcalves
(91/629/EEC)
pursueactivelyscientificresearchintothemostefficient
stock-farming system(s)fromthepointofviewofthe
well-beingofcalves;whereasprovisionshouldaccordingly
bemadeforaninterimperiodtoenabletheCommissionto
completethistasksuccessfully,
HASADOPTEDTHISDIRECTIVE :
Article1
ThisDirectivelaysdowntheminimumstandardsforthe
protectionofcalvesconfinedforrearingandfattening.
Article2
ForthepurposesofthisDirective:
1.'calfshallmeanabovineanimaluptosixmonths
old;
2.'competentauthority'shallmeanthecompetent
authorityasdefinedinArticle2(6)ofDirective
90/425/EEC(6).THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity,andinparticularArticle43
thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission('),
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEuropean
Parliament (2),
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicandSocial
Committee (3),
WhereasallMemberStateshaveratifiedtheEuropean
Conventionontheprotectionofanimalskeptforfarming
purposes;whereastheCommunityhasalsoapprovedthis
ConventionbyDecision78/923/EEC(4)andhasdeposited
itsinstrumentofapproval;
WhereastheEuropeanParliament,initsResolutionof20
February1987onanimalwelfarepolicy(5),calledonthe
Commissiontomakeproposalsonminimumstandardsfor
theintensivefarmingofvealcalves;
Whereascalves,beingliveanimals,areincludedinthelistof
productssetoutinAnnexIItotheTreaty;
Whereasthekeepingofcalvesisanintegralpartof
agriculture;whereasitconstitutesasourceofrevenuefor
partoftheagriculturalpopulation;
Whereasdifferenceswhichmaydistortconditionsof
competitioninterferewiththesmoothrunningofthe
organizationofthecommonmarketincalvesandcalf
products;
Whereasthereisthereforeaneedtoestablishcommon
minimumstandardsfortheprotectionofrearingcalvesor
calvesforfatteninginordertoensurerationaldevelopment
ofproduction;
Whereasitisnecessaryforofficialservices,producers,
consumersandotherstobekeptinformedofdevelopmentsin
thisfield;whereastheCommissionshouldtherefore,onthe
basisofareportfromtheScientificVeterinaryCommittee,Article3
1.MemberStatesshallensurethatfrom1January1994
andforatransitionalperiodoffouryears,allholdingsnewly
builtorrebuintand/orbroughtintouseforthefirsttime
afterthatdateshallcomplywithatleastthefolloging
requirements :
—wherecalvesarehousedingroups,theymusthave
sufficientunobstructedfloorspacetobeabletoturn
roundandliedownwithouthindranceofatleast1,5m2
foreachcalfof150kgliveweight,
—wherecalvesarehousedinindividualboxesorby
tetheringinstalls,theboxesorstallsshallhaveperforated
wallsandtheirwidthmustbenolessthan90cmplusor
minus10%,or0,80timestheheightatthewithers.
2.Theprovisionsofparagraph1shallnotapplyto
holdingswithfewerthansixcalves.(»)OJNoC214,21.8.1989,p.28.
(2)OJNoC113,7.5.1990,p.180.
(3)OJNoC62,12.3.1990,p.37.
(«)OJNoL323,17.11.1978,p.12.
(*)OJNoC76,23.3.1987,p.185.(6)OJNoL224,18.8.1990,p.29.Directiveaslastamendedby
Directive91/496/EEC(OJNoL268,24.9.1991,p.56).

11.12.91 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL340/29
physiologicalandbehaviouralpointofview,aswellasthe
socio-economic implicationsofdifferentsystems,together
withproposalsrelevanttothereport'sconclusions .
TheCouncilshallactbyaqualifiedmajorityonthese
proposalsnolaterthanthreemonthsaftertheir
submission .3.Specialconditionsmaybeappliedto:
—calves,thehealthorbehaviourofwhichrequiresthemto
beisolatedfromthegroupinordertoreceiveappropriate
treatment,
—pure-bredbreedinganimalsofthebovinespeciesreferred
toinDirective77/504/EEC0),
—calveskeptwiththeirmothersforsuckling,
—calveskeptinloosehousing.
4.Thedurationofuseofinstallationsbuilt
—before1January1994whichdonotmeetthe
requirementsofparagraph1shallbedeterminedbythe
competentauthorityinthelightoftheresultsofthe
inspectionsprovidedforinArticle7(1),andshallunder
nocircumstancesextendbeyond31December2003;
—duringthetransitionalperiod,inaccordancewith
paragraph1,shallundernocircumstances extend
beyond31December2007,unlessonthatdatethey
complywiththerequirementsofthisDirective.Article7
1.MemberStatesshallensurethatinspectionsarecarried
outundertheresponsibilityofthecompetentauthorityin
ordertocheckthattheprovisionsofthisDirectiveandits
Annexarecompliedwith.
Theseinspections,whichmaybecarriedoutontheoccasion
ofchecksmadeforotherpurposes,shalleachyearcovera
statisticallyrepresentative sampleofthedifferentfarming
systemsusedineachMemberState.
2.TheCommission shall,inaccordancewiththe
procedurelaiddowninArticle10,drawupacodeofrulesto
beappliedincarryingouttheinspectionsprovidedforin
paragraph1.
3.Everytwoyears,bythelastworkingdayinApriland
forthefirsttimeby30April1996,MemberStatesshall
informtheCommissionoftheresultsoftheinspections
carriedoutduringtheprevioustwoyearsinaccordancewith
thisArticle,includingthenumberofinspectionscarriedout
inrelationtothenumberofholdingsintheirterritory.Article4
1.MemberStatesshallensurethattheconditionsfor
rearingcalvescomplywiththegeneralprovisionslaiddown
intheAnnex.
2.Moreover,beforethisDirectiveentersintoforce,the
Commission ,incooperationwiththeMemberStates,shall
issuearecommendation defininganyminimumstandardsfor
theprotectionofcalvessupplementing thoseinthe
Annex.Article8
InordertobeimportedintotheCommunity ,animalscoming
fromanon-membercountrymustbeaccompaniedbya
certificateissuedbythecompetentauthorityofthatcountry,
certifyingthattheyhavereceivedtreatmentatleast
equivalenttothatgrantedtoanimalsofCommunityoriginas
providedforbythisDirective.
Article5
TheprovisionsintheAnnexmaybeamendedinaccordance
withtheprocedurelaiddowninArticle10inordertotake
accountofscientificprogress.Article9
VeterinaryexpertsfromtheCommissionmay,where
necessaryfortheuniformapplicationofthisDirective,carry
outon-the-spotchecksincooperationwiththecompetent
authorities.Thepersonscarryingoutthesechecksshall
implementthespecialpersonalhygienemeasuresnecessary
toexcludeanyriskoftransmissionofdisease.
TheMemberStateintheterritoryofwhichacheckisbeing
carriedoutshallgiveallnecessaryassistancetotheexpertsin
carryingouttheirduties.TheCommissionshallinformthe
competentauthorityoftheMemberStateconcernedofthe
resultsofthechecks.
ThecompetentauthorityoftheMemberStateconcerned
shalltakeanymeasureswhichmayprovenecessarytotake
accountoftheresultsofthechecks.Article6
Notlaterthan1October1997,theCommissionshallsubmit
totheCouncilareport,drawnuponthebasisofanopinion
fromtheScientificVeterinaryCommittee,ontheintensive
farmingsystem(s)whichcomplywiththerequirementsofthe
well-beingofcalvesfromthepathological,zootechnical,
(*)OJNoL206,12.8.1977,p.8.Directiveaslastamendedby
Directive91/174/EEC(OJNoL85,5.4.1991,p.37).

NoL340/30 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.12.91
adoptedbytheCommissionexceptwheretheCouncilhas
decidedagainstthemeasuresbyasimplemajority.
Article11
1.MemberStatesshallbringintoforcethelaws,
regulationsandadministrative provisions,includingany
sanctions,necessarytocomplywiththisDirectivenotlater
than1January1994.Theyshallforthwithinformthe
Commission thereof.
WhereMemberStatesadopttheseprovisions,thelattershall
includeareferencetothisDirectiveorshallbeaccompanied
bysuchareferenceontheirofficialpublication .Thedetails
ofthisreferenceshallbeadoptedbytheMemberStates.
2.However,fromthedatesetinparagraph1,Member
Statesmay,incompliancewiththegeneralrulesofthe
Treaty,maintainorapplywithintheirterritoriesstricter
provisionsfortheprotectionofcalvesthanthoselaiddown
inthisDirective.TheyshallinformtheCommissionofany
suchmeasures.Withregardtorelationswithnon-membercountries,the
provisionsofChapterIIIofDirective91/496/EEC0)shall
apply.
GeneralrulesfortheapplicationofthisArticleshallbe
adoptedinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddownin
Article10.
Article10
1.WheretheprocedurelaiddowninthisArticleistobe
followed,thechairmanshallreferthematterwithoutdelay
totheStandingVeterinaryCommitteesetupbyDirective
,68/361/EEC(2),hereinafterreferredtoasthe'Committee',
eitheronhisowninitiativeorattherequestofthe
representativeofaMemberState.
2.TherepresentativeoftheCommissionshallsubmitto
theCommitteeadraftofthemeasurestobetaken.The
Committeeshalldeliveritsopiniononthedraftwithinatime
limitwhichthechairmanmaylaydownaccordingtothe
urgencyofthematter.Theopinionshallbedeliveredbythe
majoritylaiddowninArticle148(2)oftheTreatyinthecase
ofdecisionswhichtheCouncilisrequiredtoadoptona
proposalfromtheCommission .Thevotesofthe
representatives oftheMemberStateswithintheCommittee
shallbeweightedinthemannersetoutinthatArticle.The
chairmanshallnotvote.
3.TheCommissionshalladoptthemeasuresenvisagedif
theyareinaccordancewiththeopinionofthe
Committee .
4.Ifthemeasuresenvisagedarenotinaccordancewith
theopinionoftheCommittee,orifnoopinionisdelivered,
theCommissionshallwithoutdelaysubmittotheCouncila
proposalrelatingtothemeasurestobetaken.TheCouncil
shallactbyaqualifiedmajority.
If,withinthreemonthsofthedateofreferraltotheCouncil,
theCouncilhasnotacted,theproposedmeasuresshallbeArticle12
ThisDirectiveisaddressedtotheMemberStates.
DoneatBrussels,19November1991.
FortheCouncil
ThePresident
P.BUKMAN
(>)OJNoL268,24.9.1991,p.56.
(2)OJNoL255,18.10.1968,p.23.

11.12.91 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL340/31
ANNEX
1.Materialsusedfortheconstructionofcalfaccommodation andinparticularofboxesandequipmentwith
whichcalvesmaycomeintocontactmustnotbeharmfultothecalvesandmustbecapableofbeing
thoroughlycleanedanddisinfected.
2.UntilCommunityrulesarelaiddownonthematter,electricalcircuitsandequipmentmustbeinstalledin
accordancewithcurrentnationalrulessoastoavoidelectricshocks.
3.Insulation,heatingandventilationofthebuildingmustensurethattheaircirculation,dustlevel,
temperature,relativeairhumidityandgasconcentrations arekeptwithinlimitswhicharenotharmfultothe
calves.
4.Allautomatedormechanicalequipmentessentialforthecalves'healthandwell-beingmustbeinspectedat
leastoncedaily.Wheredefectsarediscovered,thesemustberectifiedimmediatelyor,ifthisisimpossible,
appropriatestepsmustbetakentosafeguardthehealthandwell-beingofthecalvesuntilthedefecthasbeen
rectified,notablybyusingalternativemethodsoffeedingandmaintainingasatisfactoryenvironment .
Whereanartificialventilationsystemisused,provisionmustbemadeforanappropriateback-upsystemto
guaranteesufficientairrenewaltopreservethehealthandwell-beingofthecalvesintheeventoffailureofthe
system,andanalarmsystemmustbeprovidedtowarnthestock-keeperofthebreakdown.Thealarmsystem
mustbetestedregularly.
5.Calvesmustnotbekeptpermanentlyindarkness.Tomeettheirbehaviouralandphysiologicalneeds,
provisionmustbemade,allowingforthedifferentclimaticconditionsintheMemberStates,forappropriate
naturalorartificiallighting;ifthelatter,itmustfunctionforaperiodatleastequivalenttotheperiodof
naturallightnormallyavailablebetween9a.m.and5p.m.Inaddition,suitablelighting(fixedorportable)
strongenoughtoallowthecalvestobeinspectedatanytimemustbeavailable.
6.Allcalvesrearedingroupsorinboxesmustbeinspectedbytheownerorthepersonresponsibleforthe
animalsatleastonceaday.Anycalfwhichappearstobeillorinjuredmustbetreatedappropriatelywithout
delay.
Itshouldbepossible,wherevernecessary,toisolatesickorinjuredcalvesinadequateaccommodation with
dry,comfortablebedding.
Veterinaryadvicemustbeobtainedassoonaspossibleforcalveswhicharenotrespondingtothe
stock-keeper'scare.
7.Theaccommodation forcalvesmustbeconstructedinsuchawayastoalloweachcalf:
—toliedown,rest,standupandgroomitselfwithoutdifficulty;
—toseeothercalves.
8.Wheretethersareused,theymustnotcauseinjurytothecalvesandmustbeinspectedregularlyandadjusted
asnecessarytoensureacomfortablefit.Eachtethermustbeofsufficientlengthtoallowthecalvestomoveas
stipulatedinparagraph7.Thedesignmustbesuchastoavoid,asfaraspossible,anyriskofstrangulationor
injury.
9.Housing,pens,equipmentandutensilsusedforcalvesmustbeproperlycleanedanddisinfectedtoprevent
cross-infection andthebuild-upofdisease-carrying organisms.Faeces,urineanduneatenorspiltfoodmust
beremovedasoftenasnecessarytominimizesmellandavoidingattractingfliesorrodents.
10.Floorsmustbesmoothbutnotslipperysoastopreventinjurytothecalvesandsodesignedasnottocause
injuryorsufferingtocalvesstandingorlyingonthem.Theymustbesuitableforthesizeandweightofthe
calvesandformarigid,evenandstablesurface.Thelyingareamustbecomfortable ,clean,andadequately
drainedandmustnotadverselyaffectthecalves.Appropriatebeddingmustbeprovidedforallcalvesless
thantwoweeksold.
11.Allcalvesmustbeprovidedwithanappropriatedietadaptedtotheirage,weightandbehaviouraland
physiologicalneeds,topromoteapositivestateofhealthandwell-being.Inordertoensureapositivestateof

NoL340/32 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.12.91
healthandwell-beingaswellasahealthygrowthrateandtomeettheirbehaviouralneeds,thecalves'food
mustincludesufficientironandaminimumofdriedfeedcontainingadigestiblefibre(100—200grdaily
dependingontheageoftheanimal).However,therequirementforaminimumquantityofdriedfeed
containingdigestiblefibresdoesnotapplytotheproductionofvealcalvesforwhitemeat.Calvesmustnotbe
muzzled.
12.Allcalvesmustbefedatleastonceaday.Wherecalvesarehousedingroupsandnotfedadlibitum,orbyan
automaticfeedingsystem,eachcalfmusthaveaccesstothefoodatthesametimeastheothersinthe
group.
13.Allcalvesovertwoweeksofagemusthaveaccesstoasufficientquantityoffreshwaterorbeabletosatisfy
theirfluidintakeneedsbydrinkingotherliquids.
14.Feedingandwateringequipmentmustbedesigned,constructed,placedandmaintainedsothat
contamination ofthecalves'feedandwaterisminimized .