2.2,94 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC34/23
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveonthefinancingofveterinarychecksand
inspectionsonliveanimalsandcertainanimalproductsandamendingDirective91/496/
EEC(*)
(94/C34/10)
On24August1993theCouncildecidedinaccordancewithArticles43and198oftheEEC
TreatytoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommitteeontheabovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon4November1993.TheRapporteur
wasMrWick.
Atits310thPlenarySession(meetingof24November1993),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionunanimously .
1.GeneralComments MemberStatewhenimportingliveanimalsfromthird
countriesintotheCommunity .
1.7.However,theCommitteenotesthatasatisfac­
torylevelofuniformityhasnotbeenachievedbyintrod­
ucingflat-ratefees,becauseMemberStateswere
allowedtochargehigherrateswherenecessarytocover
actualcosts.TheCommitteethinksthateverything
possiblemustbedonetopreventthis—particularly
withthenewsystemoffees.
2.Specificcomments
2.1.Article11.1.Theproposalseekstolaydownprinciplesfor
financingchecksonliveanimals.Thisincludespro­
visionforafeetobechargedtocoverthefinancing
ofchecksatthepointoforiginintradewithinthe
Community ,andatborderinspectionpostsforimports
fromthirdcountries .
1.2.TheCommissionproposalisbasedonDirectives
90/425/EEC(2)and91/496/EEC(■')containinggeneral
rulesforveterinarychecksapplicableinintra-Com­
munitytradeinanimalsandcertainanimalproducts,
andforveterinarychecksonanimalsenteringtheCom­
munityfromthirdcountries.
1.3.TheCommitteereferstoitsearlierOpinions
welcomingtheintroductionoftheseprinciplesingen­
eralterms.
1.4.ThepresentproposalflowsfromtheCom­
missionproposalonthefinancingofhealthinspections
andcontrolsoffreshmeatandpoultrymeat (4),and
completesthefinancingarrangements byincludinglive
animals.
1.5.InitsOpinionof25March1992(5)theCom­
mitteewelcomedtheCommissionproposalconcerning
freshmeatandpoultrymeat ;itmadeseveralcomments
whichapplyequallytothepresentproposal.ThisOpin­
ionthereforedrawslargelyuponthepreviousESC
Opinion.
1.6.TheCommitteewelcomestheproposedhar­
monizationoffinancingarrangementsforinspections
andchecks.Thiswillendtheanomaloussituation
wherebytradersarechargeddifferentratesineachTheCommitteewelcomesthecollectionoffeestofinan­
cechecksonlyinthecountryoforigin,oratborder
inspectionpoints,andnotinthecountryofdestination .
Spotchecksinthecountryofdestinationandchecks
carriedoutwhiletheanimalsandproductsareintransit
mustcontinuetobefinancedfrompublicfundsinthe
respectiveMemberState.MemberStatesmayonno
accountpassonthecostsinvolvedtobuyersorsellers.
2.2.Article2
2.2.1.Itisnotadmissibletofollowtheprocedure
laiddowninArticle4(cfcommentonArticle4)for
determiningthelevelsoffeesandtheimplementing
provisions .
2.2.2.Ifflatratesaretobesetfortheleveloffees,
theseshouldbeascloseaspossibletotheeffectiverates
(thefeesactuallychargedinMemberStates).
2.3.Article4 ('.)OJNoC219,13.8.1993,p.15.
(2)OJNoL224,18.8.1990,p.29.
(3)OJNoL268,24.9.1991,p.27.
(4)COM(91)81final,26.11.1991.
(5)OJNoC106;27.4.1992,p.17.2.3.1.TheCommitteenotesthattheproposedStand­
ingVeterinaryCommitteeprocedureisradicallydiffer­

NoC34/24 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 2.2,94
countriesO).InthatOpiniontheESCcallsforregular
Commissionreportsonmattersdealtwithunderthe
StandingVeterinaryCommitteeprocedureandonany
specificinfringements uncovered .TheCommittee
requeststhattheCommissionfollowasimilarpro­
cedurewithregardtothepresentproposal.
2.4.Article5entfromtheprocedurecurrentlyinforce,whichpro­
videsforaqualifiedmajorityCouncildecision.The
levelsofthenewfeesshouldbedeterminedwithcareful
consideration forthescaleofcostsandveterinary
arrangements inindividualMemberStates;thesame
goesfortheimplementingprovisions.Forthispurpose
theMemberStatesshouldbegivenaqualifiedpower
ofco-decision .Buttheproposedprocedureprovides
onlyforconsultationanddoesnotconferco-decision
powersonMemberStates.TheCommitteebelieves
thatitisessentialtomaintainthecurrentprocedure
whichinvolvesadecisionbytheCouncil,oratleast
tousetheprocedurefollowedinallotherveterinary
matters,involvingadecisionbytheStandingVeterinary
Committee,byqualifiedmajorityineachcase.
2.3,2.InthisconnectiontheCommitteereferstoits
OpiniononthedraftCouncilRegulationlayingdown
theprinciplesgoverningtheorganizationofveterinary
checksonanimalsenteringtheCommunityfromthird2.4.1.TheCommitteeisonceagainsurprisedto
notethattheCommissioniscontinuingitspracticeof
submittingproposalswithunrealisticimplementation
deadlines.
2.4.2.ForaCommissionproposaldated20July
1993,thedeadlineof31December1993setoutinthe
firstparagraphisunrealistic.Inallcases,thetime-scale
fortransposingthedirectiveintonationallegislation
shouldbemorerealistic.
(l)OJNoC269,14.10.1991,p.36.
DoneatBrussels,24November1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN