WRITTEN QUESTION E-0579/00

by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 February 2000)

Subject: Draft feedingstuffs regulations 2000

Concern has been expressed in the UK in respect of draft feedingstuffs regulations 2000 produced by MAFF. Livestock farmers believe that EU regulations now in force require MAFF to ensure that no additives can be supplied to livestock unless incorporated directly in a feedingstuff. Such a rule would effectively outlaw the widespread use of mineral blocks, slow release boluses, licks and top-dressed mineral supplements, commonly provided to grazing or hay/silage-fed animals.

Can the Commission confirm whether it is its intention to prohibit such dietary supplements and if so, whether the Commission has assessed the disastrous impact this will have on the UK farming industry?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2000)

The Commission would like to draw the attention of the Honourable Member to the fact that there is no intention to prohibit the use of the traditional mineral blocks containing macro-elements.

These products are authorised and can be used when marketed as feed materials in accordance with Council Directive 96/25/EC of 29 April 1996 on the circulation of feed materials, amending Directives 70/524/EEC, 74/63/EEC, 82/471/EEC and 93/74/EEC and repealing Directive 77/101/EEC(1) or when marketed as complementary feedingstuffs and in particular as mineral feedingstuffs in accordance with Council Directive 79/373/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the marketing of compound feedingstuffs(2).

However, the use as daily feed of boluses, mineral blocks, licks and top-dressed mineral supplements containing certain feed additives, would not necessarily ensure that the total amount ingested daily by the animals is under control.

For this reason Council Directive 70/524/EEC of 23 November 1970 on additives in feedingstuffs(3) foresees that, from 1 October 1999 under Article 9k, Member States shall ensure that antibiotics, coccidiostats and growth promoters may be used only if incorporated in feedingstuffs.

At the time of the adoption of Council Directive 96/51/EC of 23 July 1996(4) amending Directive 70/524/EEC it was decided that, in the present state of scientific and technical knowledge and taking into account the methods of inspection, the use of these additives should not be authorised by any mode of administration other than incorporation in feedingstuffs.

It has to be noted that for the above mentioned category of additives it is indeed essential that the conditions of authorisation which foresee a maximum dose of incorporation in feedingstuffs are met in practice, as they ensure animal and consumer safety.

By derogation, the Directive also foresees that additives belonging to other groups such as vitamins, trace elements, enzymes and micro-organisms may be used if administered by a method other than by incorporation in feedingstuffs, but on condition that the method is provided in the relevant authorisation regulation. This derogation has been given in order to take into account the developments in techniques for using additives. This can be envisaged for such types of additives because the potential adverse effects on human or animal health are estimated to be a priori low. However, until now, no authorisation of an additive foresees in a special provision that it can be administered by a method other than by incorporation in feedingstuffs.

The Commission is fully aware of the problems of modern farming practices. Following the need for a more flexible framework to use certain substances in particular feed additives in other ways than the inclusion in feedingstuffs, a proposal(5) was presented in July 1997 to the Parliament and to the Council, on the use of nutritional supplements for animals. These supplements are preparations likely to contain high levels of minerals, trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, etc. which may be administered orally over a very short period in the form of an individual dose in drinking water or via daily feed.

On the proposal, amended by the Parliament in first reading in September 1999, the Council has not yet adopted a common position.

(1) OJ L 125, 23.5.1996.

(2) OJ L 86, 6.4.1979.

(3) OJ L 270, 14.12.1970.

(4) OJ L 235, 17.9.1996.

(5) OJ C 298, 30.9.1997.