WRITTEN QUESTION E-0895/01

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Veterinary services and laboratories, programmes for eradicating and monitoring animal diseases and spending in the veterinary sector in Greece

During the Year 2000 5 330 head of cattle, 3 500 goats and sheep and 450 pigs were slaughtered in Greece (in the Prefectures of Evros and Xanthi) as a result of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. Furthermore, following checks carried out on the basis of Decisions 90/424/EEC(1) and 94/370/EEC(2) on expenditure in the veterinary field and investigations into veterinary activities in specific sectors and the programme for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases, the Commission found that the arrangements for combating various diseases in Greece (brucellosis among cattle and goats and sheep, tuberculosis among cattle and scrapie among sheep) did not operate effectively and that the programmes implemented were inadequate both from a veterinary point of view and from the point of view of financial management.

1. To what extent do the veterinary services and laboratories in Greece operate on the basis of existing Community directives and regulations concerning the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases?

2. How well equipped are the other Member States and Greece's neighbours (Turkey, Bulgaria, etc.) to deal with foot-and-mouth disease, and what measures does it intend to take to tackle this disease effectively?

3. On the basis of Decisions 2000/640/EC(3) and 2000/774/EC(4) on the adoption of certain programmes for the eradication, monitoring and prevention of zoonoses in Greece in 2001, what measures must be taken to avoid losing Community funding, especially since the implementation of the programmes for combating foot-and-mouth disease in Greece cost GRD 2,4 billion in the Year 2000?

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.

(2) OJ L 168, 2.7.1994, p. 31.

(3) OJ L 269, 21.10.2000, p. 56.

(4) OJ L 308, 8.12.2000, p. 39.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2001)

1. Member States shall within the framework of Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community(1) report to the European Commission and other Member States on the appearance of a number of animal diseases which cause losses to animal production and restrictions to trade. Greece has during the period of 1996-2000 reported the occurrence of disease outbreaks as shown below:

>TABLE>

In relation to missions carried out by the Food and Veterinary Office (see website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/index_en.html) a number of recommendations have been made to the Greek authorities. Greece has undertaken to report to the Commission about their implementations within the next few months.

The measures taken by Greece to control and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease, blue tongue and sheep pox took into account the provisions of Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease(2) and of Council Directive 92/119/EEC of 17 December 1992 introducing general Community measures for the control of certain animal diseases and specific measures relating to swine vesicular disease(3).

2. All Member States have, in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive 85/511/EEC, established contingency plans for the control of foot-and-mouth disease.

With regard to the foot-and-mouth disease situation in Bulgaria it should be noted that in 1991 Bulgaria adopted the non-vaccination policy of the EU. The last foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Bulgaria occurred in 1996. The disease was rapidly eradicated and the measures applied were in conformity with the Bulgarian contingency plan.

In recent years outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been reported from several parts of Turkey. With the aim to assist in combating foot-and-mouth disease in Turkey, the European Commission adopted Decision 98/64/EC of 9 December 1998 on a Community financial contribution for improving the foot-and-mouth disease control programme in Turkey(4). Since then assistance has been provided as regards the supply of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine for use in Turkish Thrace.

3. In 2000 Greece presented a number of animal disease control programmes for Community co-financing. By Commission Decision 2000/640/EC(5) of 13 October 2000 on the list of programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases and on the list of programmes of checks aimed at the prevention of zoonoses qualifying for a financial contribution from the Community in 2001, it was decided that the following programmes presented by Greece shall qualify for a financial contribution in 2001: bovine brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, ovine and caprine brucellosis and scrapie. In accordance with Commission Decision 2000/774/EC of 30 November 2000 approving the programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases and for the prevention of zoonoses presented for the year 2001 by the Member States(6), the financial contribution from the Community shall be granted provided that the actions planned are efficiently carried out and that the authorities supply all the necessary information within the time limits laid down. Furthermore pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 only expenditures undertaken in conformity with Community law shall be eligible for Community financing. To improve animal disease eradication and to avoid losing Community funds during implementation of approved programmes the Commission established a special task force in 2000 within the framework of the White Paper

on food safety(7). A sub-group of this task force has already addressed the brucellosis situation in Greece and issued recommendations on this matter. The implementation of the recommendations will be followed within the normal monitoring system.

(1) OJ L 378, 31.12.1982.

(2) OJ L 315, 26.11.1985.

(3) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993.

(4) OJ L 16, 21.1.1998.

(5) OJ L 269, 21.10.2000.

(6) OJ L 308, 8.12.2000.

(7) COM(1999) 719 final.