WRITTEN QUESTION E-3531/98

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(25 November 1998)

Subject: Transport of breeding animals to third countries

Within the EU a strict distinction is made between breeding cows and cows for slaughter. This distinction has an impact on payments granted by the Union.

On the subject of aid payments:

1. What national bodies are responsible for issuing breeding cow certificates; what is the appropriate body in Austria?

2. What authorisation does this institution have and from what Community institutions does it receive instructions, and to which ones must it report?

3. What criteria are used to distinguish between breeding cows and cows for slaughter?

4. What monitoring facilities does the EU have for checking the age of cows for slaughtering and hence the level of aid?

5. Is it possible, in theory, to circumvent or abuse these criteria?

6. If so, what action has the Commission taken to prevent such circumvention?

7. Is it possible for breeding cows issued with a certificate in Austria to be exported to third countries and used immediately for slaughtering?

8. Would this be in line with European aid criteria?

9. How does the Commission ensure that breeding animals exported from the EU are actually used for that purpose when imported into third countries?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 1999)

Provisions on export refunds for pure-bred breeding animals are contained in Commission Regulation (EEC) 2342/92 on imports of pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species from third countries and the granting of export refunds thereon(1).

1. and 2. According to Article 3 (a), the pedigree certificate shall be issued by the association, organisation or official body of the Member State keeping the herd book.

3. According to the Community legislation, a pure-bred breeding animal of the bovine species is any bovine animal the parents and grandparents of which are entered or registered in a herd-book of the same breed, and which is itself either entered or registered and eligible for entry in such a herd book. Furthermore, in accordance with Annex III of Commission Regulation (EC) 2469/97 of 11 December 1997 amending Regulations (EEC) 1964/82 laying down the conditions for granting special export refunds on certain cuts of boned meat of bovine aniumals, (EEC) 3846/87 establishing an agricultural product nomenclature for export refunds and (EC) 1445/95 on rules of application for import and export licences in the beef and veal sector(2), export refunds on female pure-bred breeding animals shall be subject to the presentation, in repect of each animal, at the time customs export formalities are completed, of the original and a copy of the pedigree certificate showing in particular the results of performance tests and the results of the assessment of the genetic value of the animal concerned and its parents and grandparents.

5. and 6. The control measures mentioned above were adopted in order to avoid fraud.

7. to 9. Community legislation cannot oblige a third country buyer not to slaughter a pure-bred breeding animal immediately after arrival at the third country of destination. Slaughter immediately after arrival is, however, highly unlikely since pure-bred breeding animals are high value animals and there is therefore no economic incentive for immediate slaughter. The control that the exported animal is a pure-bred breeding animal is carried out at the time customs export formalities are completed when each animal is subject to the presentation of the pedigree certificate.

Furthermore, under Article 3 (b), at the time customs export formalities are completed, there must be presented the health certificate for pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species required by the third country of destination.

(1) OJ L 277, 11.8.1992.

(2) OJ L 341, 12.12.1997.