ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(81)502
Vol.1981/0150

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenneetdelaCommunautéeuropéennedel'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiésconformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
InaccordancewithCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
CommunityandtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity(OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocumentsinthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung(EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeitzugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Y
Λ
S
-i
,iCOM(81)502 final
Brussels.14September 1981
COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
onCommunityrulesintheveterinary,zootechnical andanimalwelfare
fields *
C0MC81)502final

CerwiSoi
.COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
onCommunityrulesintheveterinary,zootechnical aridanimal-
welfarefields
I.TheCommission hasbeenworkingintheveterinary,zootechnical andanimal
protectionfieldsfor.manyyearswiththeaimofliberalizing tradeandat
thesametimeensuringthehighdegreeofhygiene'necessaryforprotection
ofthehealthofconsumers,theimprovement inhealthendbreedingstandards
indispensable forhigherproductivity infarmingandimplementation ofthe
measuresrequiredfortheprotection ofanimalsinmodernstock-farming
systems. - •
II.Fullattainmentoftheseobjectives requiresthe.consolidation ofand
additionstoexistingCommunitylegislation,asindicatedinthework-pro-
grammeadoptedbytrieCouncilin1978anditsResolution"of29July1981,
Tothisend,asannouncedinitspriorityprogrammefor1981,theCommission
hastransmitted orshalltransmit10proposals asfollows:
1.RevisionofDirective 64/433/EEConintra-Community tradeinfreshmeat
ThisDirective wasadoptednearly20yearsago.Itneedsmanytechnical
adjustments inthelightofadvancesinscientific knowledge andproduction
techniques andofexperienceofitsapplication .Itsrequirements will
becomelessrigid(alternative methodsofmeetingcertainslaughterhouse
requirements )buttherewillbenorelaxationinthehygienestandards
indispensable forconsumerprotection .-
Fourimportant newprovisionswillalsobeintroduced :
-theprincipleofmeatcontrolatthepointofproduction,inorderthat
allcontrolslateronaremadeunderthesameconditions asthosecarried
0
outonmeatofnationalorigin,
-theprinciplethatthecostofcontrolmustbemetfromthepriceofthe
product(thisprinciple hasalreadybeenadoptedbytheCommissionin
theproposalonhormonesanditshouldpermiteffectivecontrolandat
thesametimepreventdistorsions ofcompetition).

inspection ofslaughterhouses byCommunity officials .This isalready
d<?ne inThird Countries andthebasis forsuch control already exists in
theCommunity forpoultry slaughterhouses .Itisnecessary toextend
ittotheslaughterhouses covered bytheDirective ,asParliament has
requested ,inorder tocreate theconditions forbetter application of
theDirective throughout theCommunity .
theintroduction ofmicrobiological control methods inorder to
guarantee thequality ofhygiene oftheproduction .
Revision ofDirective 72/462/EEC ontrade with Third countries
!
t - - '
This Directive isofgreat importance asitcontains the common import
rules necessary for .free movement intheCommunity and atthe same time
ensures the level ofhygiene indispensable forconsumer protectiQn and
sets thehealth standards required forproper protection oflivestock .
Aswith Directive 64/433/EEC,technical adjustments arerequired ,but also
toreflect theexperience acquired inthe Community inspections that have
already been made .
Personnel responsible forhealth inspection ,control and surveillance .
InCommunity legislation this responsabi lity isgiven toveterinarians
whoarespecially qualified byvirtue oftheir scientific andtechnical
training .AlltheMember States adhere tothis principle except the
United Kingdom ,where certain work iscarried out byspecific
non-veterinarian personnel (Environmental Health Officers ),which is,
however ,covered bytemporary provisions .Onthebasis ofareport from
apanel ofindependent experts twoproposals have been drawn upallowing
these officers tocontinue tobeused forcertain work and atthe same
time reaffirming theneed forveterinary surveillance .They involve
changes tothis effect inDirectives 71/118/EEC (poultrymeat )and
77/99/EEC (meatproducts ). -
Microbiology
Prevention ofmicrobial contamination offoods ofanimal origin ,in
particular meat ,isessential toensure protection ofconsumer health .
Microbiological factors areattheroot ofnumerous health difficulties ,
which caneffect trade (salmonellae problem ).

There aretwoproposals .Onedefines inaCouncil Decision general principles
forestablishing Community microbiological standards .Theother ,amending
Directive 71/118/EEC,deals with thespecial problem ofpoultry slaughter­
houses bydefining control methods tobeused toensure that poultrymeat
meets quality health .standards .Themost important area covered ischilling "
ofcarcases byimmersion inacounter-flaw of.
Notification ofanimal diseases
Theprinciple ofnotification ofcertain contagious diseases isalready
established inthe Community Directives covering trade .The rules now
proposed arerequired toinstitute arapid andreliable harmonized system
ofclose cooperation between the Commission and the administrations of ,
the Member States .
Such asystem isimportant iffree movement istobecombined with alower
risk ofpropagation ofdisease ,and aDirective isproposed forthis purpose .
Council Directive onthe control ofantibiotic residues infresh meat .
TheEuropean Parliament hasstressed the importance oftheproblem
concerning antibiotics inmeat .
Thepresent proposal ensures theprinciple forcontrol oftheabsence of
alldetectable antibiotic residues inmeat andespecially thefinancing
ofthis control which will besupported intheslaughterhouse bythe
product andtheintroduction ofcommunity on-the-spot inspection ,inorder
toensure uniform application within the Community .

-A-
7•Extension fortwoyears oftheaccelerated programme foreradication of
tuberculosis ,brucellosis and leukosis incattle .
Thesuccess of .the initial programmes necessitates anextension toachieve
complete elimination ofthese diseases ,anessential objective forthepro­
tection ofhuman health andfortheachievement oftrade fluidity .The
cost totheCommunity ofthis two-year extension canbeestimated at
35million ECUwhilst remaining within th.epreviously approved estimates .
*
8.Protection oflaying hens incages
Inaccordance with theCouncil Resolution of22July 1980 ,areport has
been elaborated onthepresent state ofknowledge available ,andonthis
basis aproposal for aDirective toestablish the minimal criteria to
protect laying hens inbattery cages hasbeen prepared .
•Of
III .Adoption ofthese proposals will constitute amajor step towards consolidation
oftheCommunity 'sprovisions .Anumber ofadditions totheprovisions will
bestill berequired ,however .TheCommission isworking onthese atpresent
and will bemaking proposals forCouncil Directives asfollows :
-additions torules onresidues ofantibiotics ;
-aproposal onmedicated feedingstuffs complementing theproposed Directive
onveterinary medicines ; . _
-animal health protection measures tobetaken when live sheep andgoats
andgame meat areimported into theCommunity inorder toprevent the
transmission ofanumber ofdiseases against which safeguards already
existing intheCommunity 'srules arenot legally applicable inthecase
ofsuch animals andmeat ;
-intra-Community trade andimports ofcattle andpigsemen andfertilized ova
tooffset thehealth difficulties ofimporting live breeding animals from
certain countries and saeguard the Community livestock ;
-Community measures tocombat foot -and-mouthdisease ;
-safeguards against Aujeszky 'sdisease inintra-Community trade inlive pigs .

-5-
IV.'TheCommission reminds theCouncil that anumber ofproposals already .
presented require rapid adoption ,particularly those onmilk andon
changes inDirective 71/118/EEC (trade inpoultrymeat ).
V.Anurgent increase inthenumbers ofstaff responsible forpreparing and
supervising Community legislation isindispensable ifallthework of
preparation andapplication involved intheCommission 'sproposed action
intheveterinary -zootechnical andanimal .welfare areas istogoahead .
7 ' - * "

1)Initscommunication totheCouncil on6March 1978 ontheaction programme
intheveterinary ,zootechnical andanimal welfare fields andonthe staff
numbers required forthis work ,theCommission estimated itsrequirements
at12permanent and 17temporary grade Aposts (plus anumber ofBand C
posts ).
TheCommission 'sbudget proposals for1979 included aninitial request 1-for
9permanent and 12temporary grade Aposts .The Council granted 12temporary
posts ,which have been filled .Outofthe 32posts granted bytheCoubcil in
response totheCommission 'sgeneral application ,three were made available
totheveterinary services bytheCommission .
Thus ofthe29grade A(permanent andtemporary )posts considered necessary
to-4he work approved ofbytheCouncil theCommission 'sveterinary services
have received 15posts (3permanent and 12temporary ).This explains the
delay inadministering thetexts adopted and thedifficulties inimplementing
. \theCouncil 'srequests inthe fields ofanimal protection andzootechnics .
Aware ofthedifficulties that this iscausing with regard tothenecessary
work ofharmonization ,the Commission will ,aspart ofthebudgetary pro­
cedure ,bepresenting anurgent request totheCouncil for asecond addition
tostaff numbers tocover therequirements setout inthe 1978 Communication
that have not yetbeen metand inaddition toprovide itwith staff numbers
required ifitistocope with thenewobligations that have been imposed
onitinthemeantime .Inparticular ,anAgrade post isrequired tocover
scientific research work onanimal protection .
1)Doc .,R/567/78 (AGRI 173 )(FIN154),13March 1978 .