No C 125/28 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 16.10.  74 
with  its views  on the  channelling  of food  aid  for 
humanitarian  purposes  through  multilateral  agencies, 
the Committee  drew  attention  to the  importance  of 
ensuring  that  the  administrative  machinery  was 
adapted  to the extent  to which  Community  food  aid 
could  be internationalized. Implementation  of all future  aid through  Community 
actions 
2.16.  Accepting  the  Commission's  proposal  'to 
adopt  a principle  that  all future  aid,  including  that  in 
cereals,  should  take  the form  of Community  actions', 
the Committee  recommended  that  this  principle 
should  be applied  progressively,  with  a phasing-out 
of national  actions. 
2.15.  As  regards  the  monitoring  of open  market 
sales  in  recipient  countries,  the  Committee 
emphasized  the  need  for  regular  assessment  of the 
programme's  effectiveness,  as had  been  stressed 
earlier  in considering  this method  of distribution. Done  at Brussels,  17 July  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPP  AS 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on stunning  of animals  before  slaughter 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 44 of 19 April  1974,  page  27. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 26 March  1974,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43 and  198  of the Treaty  establishing 
the European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its Opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
122nd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 17 and  18 July  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the request,  dated  27 March  1974, 
from  the Council  of the  European  Communities  for 
an opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive 
on stunning  of animals  before  slaughter; 
Having  regard  to Articles  43 and  198  of the Treaty; 
Having  regard  to the Decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
26 March  1974  entrusting  the Section  for Agriculture 
with  the  preparation  of an opinion  on the  matter; 
Having  regard  to the report  submitted  by Mrs  Evans, 
the Rapporteur; Having  regard  to the Opinion  delivered  by the Section 
for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 4 July  1974; 
Having  regard  to the discussion  at its 122nd  plenary 
session,  held  on 17 and  18 July  1974,  sitting  of 
17 July, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a majority  with  1 against  and  5 abstentions: 
1. General  observations 
1.1. In principle,  the  Committee  welcomes  the 
Commission's  intention  to standardize  the  rules 
16.10.74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 125/29 
which  are applicable  within  the EEC  to stunning  of 
animals  before  slaughter. 
1.2. It must  be noted,  however,  that  the  term 
'stunning'  is interpreted  in very  different  ways  within 
the Community.  Furthermore,  stunning  methods 
differ  very  markedly  and  are of varying  effectiveness. 
Standardization  of the  rules  therefore  calls  for 
clarification  of the term  'stunning'  and  of the desired 
effect.  It is especially  necessary  to introduce  and 
prescribe  particular  stunning  methods  of proven 
reliability. 
1.3. The  Committee  points  out  that  in all Member 
States  there  are regulations  concerning  the slaughter 
of animals,  including  pre-stunning,  but  that  these 
regulations  are  not  always  adequately  policed  and 
enforced.  It is of the  utmost  importance  that 
appropriate  provision  be made  for ensuring  the strict 
application  of the Directive. 
1.4. The  necessity  for strict  policing  applies  also  to 
the treatment  of animals  before  slaughter,  which  has 
been  the  subject  of an  earlier  Council  Directive 
(64/432/EEC)  (*), at least  as far as the  question  of 
lairage  before  slaughter  is concerned.  Humane  treat-
ment  before  slaughter  is particularly  important  for 
certain  species  of animals,  notably  horses  and  other 
solipeds. 
1.5. The  Committee  points  out that  every  method  of 
slaughter  may  result  in cruelty  if not  carried  out 
efficiently.  To ensure  this  efficiency,  those  in authority 
at slaughterhouses  must  take  some  responsibility  for 
the oversight  of staff  engaged  in slaughter,  through 
the services  of a veterinary  surgeon  or person  acting 
under  the supervision  of a veterinary  surgeon. 
1.6. The  Committee  is informed  by the Commission 
that the proposed  Directive,  in combination  with  the 
general  requirement  that  regulations  governing  intra-
Community  trade  in products  of this  nature  must 
also apply  to imports  from  third  countries,  might 
prevent  imports  of meat  from  countries  where  pre-
stunning  is not practised.  The  Committee  urges  that 
a transitional  period  be allowed  before  imports  from 
third  countries  are affected  and  that  the Commission in the  meantime  press  for  worldwide  adoption  of 
regulations  compatible  with  those  of the  proposed 
Directive. 
2. Specific  observations 
2.1. Article  1 
2.1.1.  The  Committee  notes  that  the  proposed 
Directive  makes  no reference  to the  place  where  it 
should  be applied  but  specifies  that  stunning  or 
anaesthesia  must  precede  the slaughter  of all animals 
of the species  listed.  It is therefore  clear  that  it covers 
slaughtering  wherever  carried  out  and  not  only  in 
slaughterhouses  and  knackers'  yards. 
2.1.2.  It should  be specified  that  where  stunning  is 
affected  by means  of a mechanically  operated  instru-
ment,  or by means  of electricity,  the animal  must  be 
instantaneously  rendered  unconscious. 
2.1.3.  Where  calves  or other'  animals  are  hoisted 
before  slaughter  stunning  must  precede  hoisting. 
2.1.4.  The  Committee  notes  that  poultry  are  not 
covered  by the  proposed  Directive,  but  that  pre-
stunning  of poultry  is mandatory  under  Directive 
No 71/118/EEC  (2). 
2.2. Article  2 
2.2.1.  In the first  paragraph  of Article  2, after  '... 
for the relevant  species'  insert  the words  'and  for the 
different  classes  of slaughterhouses,  knackers'  yards, 
etc., where  slaughtering  takes  place'. 
2.2.2.  The  provisions  of the  Article  should  be 
supplemented  by more  detailed  specifications  of the 
conditions  governing  the use of the different  methods 
listed,  including,  for example,  minimum  requirements 
for the voltages  to be applied  in electric  stunning  or 
for the  required  concentration  of carbon  dioxide. 
2.2.3.  The  second  paragraph  of Article  2 should  be 
amended  to read: 
'The  competent  national  authority  shall  ensure 
that stunning  is practised  by a slaughterman  (or 
other  person)  recognized  and  licensed  as having 
I1) OJ No 121,  29. 7. 1964. (2) OJ No L 55, 8. 3. 1971,  p. 23. 
No C 125/30 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 16.10.  74 
the necessary  ability  and  knowledge.  The  licence 
should  specify  the classes  of animals  and  methods 
of slaughter  to be employed  and  should  be 
granted  only  after  a thorough  examination  of the 
ability  of the person  concerned'. 
2.2.4.  The  following  sentence  should  be added  to 
the third  paragraph  of Article  2: 
'In particular,  any  person  engaged  in the slaughter 
of an animal  shall  ensure  that  the animal's  head 
is securely  positioned,  that  it is stunned  with  as 
little  suffering  and  pain  as possible,  and  that  the 
animal  is killed  immediately  after  it has  been 
stunned'. 
2.3. Article  3 
2.3.1.  The  words  'cruel  treatment'  should  be 
replaced  by 'unnecessary  suffering  or pain'. slaughter  there  would  appear  to be a case  for the 
establishment  of a body  similar  to the  Rabbinical 
Commission  to which  representations  could  be made 
if necessary,  and  with  whom  points  of difficulty  could 
be discussed. 
2.4.2  The  Committee  also  draws  attention  to the 
question  of action  to be taken  when  a mis-cut  is 
made  during  Jewish  slaughter.  If the animal  is then 
'unclean'  and  not  to be further  touched  by the 
shochet,  facilities  should  be readily  available  for the 
prompt  stunning  of the animal. 
2.5. Article  5 
2.5.1.  If the  effect  on meat  imports  mentioned  in 
paragraph  1.4.  above  is confirmed,  the  Committee 
suggests  that  a transitional  period  be allowed  before 
imports  from  third  countries  are affected. 
2.4. Article  4 
2.4.1.  The  Committee  recognizes  the  inevitability 
of taking  into  account  national  provisions  related  to 
the special  methods  of slaughter  required  by certain 
religious  rules.  In the  context  of Mohammedan Done  at Brussels,  17 July  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of 
the Member  States  relating  to the driver-perceived  noise  level  of agricultural  or forestry 
tractors  fitted  with  wheels 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 58 of 18 May  1974,  page  23. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 1 April  1974,  the  Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its Opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
122nd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 17 and  18 July  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: