No C 80/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 3. 88 
towards a practical production package. There must be 
a willingness to make changes if results indicate the need 
for changes. Such changes might be only minor or they may be major, ranging from fundamental changes of 
principle to the consideration of project abandonment if 
insuperable obstacles are encountered. 
Done at Brussels, 27 January 1988. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 64/432/EEC and 
revoking Directive 80/1102/EEC as regards the arrangements in relation to enzootic bovine 
leukosis (EBL) (') 
(88/C 80/14) 
On 11 December 1987 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the above-
mentioned proposal. 
The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's 
work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 20 January 1988 in the light of the Report by Mr 
Storie-Pugh. 
At its 252nd Plenary Session held on 27 and 28 January 1988 (meeting of 27 January) the Economic 
and Social Committee adopted the following Opinion with no votes against and one abstention. 
The Committee welcomes the Commission's proposal for a 
Council Directive on enzootic bovine leukosis and its aim 
of facilitating intra-Community trade in cattle while 
maintaining adequate safeguards against the disease, with a 
view to future rules to apply in the free internal market. The Community having committed itself to a system of 
Community control of EBL can hardly retract now. The 
trade rules have operated satisfactorily since 1981 and their 
extension, with slight modifications is a logical progres­
sion. 
The Committee notes the following points: 
(a) criteria are laid down for the recognition of herds, 
regions and Member States which are free from the 
disease; 
(b) animals for breeding and production coming from these 
free herds or areas need not be subjected to pre-
movement tests except for high value breeding animals, 
which pose more of a threat because of their longevity; 
(c) a new improved test has been proposed which will allow 
cheaper screening based on bulk serum or milk samples. 
(!) OJ No C5, 9. 1. 1988, p. 5. The Committee appreciates that a 20 % testing level is not 
statistically sound but, combined with an effective tumour 
notification, identification and classification system, may 
provide a reasonably practical answer. 
The gravamen for the control of EBL is adequate testing 
without which the criteria for establishing a Member State 
or region as being free from EBL will not have a 
scientifically sound basis. Whilst accepting the 20 % testing 
level, the Committee presses strongly for further progress 
to be encouraged in the development of a cheap, reliable 
and sensitive test for bulk samples. The need for cheap 
testing to confirm status would be particularly welcome by 
those Member States with advanced control programmes 
and to those states and regions where EBL has never been 
recorded or not recorded for many years. Cheap testing 
would additionally help to negate the adverse competition 
28. 3. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 80/35 
aspects as between those Member States with large herds 
and those Member States with small herds. 
Consideration should be given to developing a system 
whereby a Member State or region that is factually free 
from EBL could be declared as such without incurring the 
expense of testing 20 % of its herds as proposed. 
Done at Brussels, 27 January 1988. 
1. General comments 
1. The Committee approves the Directive which is 
essential for the functioning of the internal market. 
The effect of this Directive is that animals recognized as 
pure-bred in any Member State can be traded as such 
throughout the Community. 
2. The Committee felt that in order to have provided an 
authoritative Opinion it should have been given the 
opportunity to examine details and information on the 
procedures followed in Member States. In view of the very 
short time-table given to the Committee, this was not 
possible, and any Opinion is therefore less useful than it 
should be. 
3. This proposal is closely modelled on Directive 77/ 
504/EEC which regulates the same problems for pure-bred 
cattle. 
(!) OJ No C 348, 23. 12. 1987, p. 6. A system could be devised using tumour notification and 
herd history combined with serological testing using bulk 
blood taken from suitable animals at the point of killing. 
This is a more economical system worthy of study for the 
declaration of EBL-free Member States or regions. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
There are, however, certain differences for sheep which 
have to be taken into account. 
2. Detailed comments 
1. The introduction could well mention that this • 
proposal would also be useful for exports to third 
countries. 
2. Article 1 
The Committee agrees that national health rules shall 
apply, pending the introduction of Community provisions. 
3. Article 2 
The Committee approves the definitions in general. 
However, some Member States recognize a small number 
of pure-bred hill sheep which cannot be recorded Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive concerning pure-bred breeding sheep and 
goats (') 
(88/C 80/15) 
On 16 December 1987 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the above-
mentioned proposal. 
The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's 
work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 20 January 1988 in the light of the Report by Mr 
Gardner. 
At its 252nd Plenary Session (meeting of 27 January 1988), the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion unanimously: