WRITTEN QUESTION E-0551/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 February 2002)

Subject: Transmission of livestock diseases from potential sources of infection in new Member States to livestock in the present Member States

1. Can the Commission confirm the belief expressed by farmers' organisations that such familiar livestock diseases as swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease are more widespread in the candidate countries on the continent than in the present Member States, so that the risk of healthy livestock becoming infected is also greater?

2. Does the Commission, like these organisations, fear that the elimination of obstacles to transport of and trade in meat and live animals at the existing eastern external border of the EU will result in a greater spread of animal diseases in the existing Member States?

3. Does the Commission anticipate a big increase in sales of livestock and meat from the new eastern Member States, where production costs are low because of their low wages? What percentage of the existing market are they likely to acquire?

4. In the accession negotiations, is provision already being made for the long-term continuation of strict monitoring for animal diseases at the existing eastern border, even after it becomes an internal border?

5. Will monitoring of the transportation of livestock and meat across the new, more easterly, external borders with states which belonged to the former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia be stepped up? If so, how?

6. What powers will Member States retain to protect livestock in their territory against the transmission of diseases due to imports of livestock and meat from areas of possible infection?

7. What will the Commission do to ensure that the consumption of meat and fattening of livestock always occur as close as possible to the place of origin, so that the volume of transport remains limited and livestock diseases cannot spread over long distances?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2002)

1. With regard to familiar livestock diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and classical swine fever, the position in the applicant countries is no worse than in the Community.

Indeed, out of all the Member States and applicant countries, only four Member States have over the last five years had their status of FMD-free without vaccination withdrawn by the International Organisation on Animal Health following the occurrence of this disease on their territory. Over the same period, although five applicant countries gave notification of classical swine fever, there were also occurrences in seven Member States. The situation as regards other major diseases is no different from that prevailing within the Community.

The Commission therefore considers that the animal health status and veterinary policies of the respective applicant countries do not currently pose a special threat to the Member States in terms of livestock diseases.

2. The Commission is working in concert with the applicant countries to ensure that they incorporate the Communiuty acquis into their legislation and thereby apply the same procedures and requirements for preventing the occurrence of livestock diseases and, where necessary, for preventing their spread between different regions in the Community.

3. On the basis of the available data concerning the production potential of enterprises operating in accordance with Community provisions, the Commission does not expect any increase in the amount of beef and pork supplied by the future Member States.

Given the level of demand in some of the current Member States, an increase in the number of live animals cannot be ruled out following the applicant countries' accession.

4. The Commission confirms that the current requirements concerning the health protection of livestock in the Member States are included in the accession negotiations as part of the Communiuty acquis with the aim of ensuring compliance with the provisions in force which serve as the basis for the creation of a European internal market without frontiers.

5. The Commission is collaborating with the applicant countries for the purpose of setting up border inspection posts meeting Community requirements on the joint frontiers with Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldavia, Croatia, the former Yugoslavia and Turkey. Thus, assuming that all the applicant countries join the EU, 67 posts will be set up on the European Union's new frontiers.

6. In order to prevent the occurrence of disease within its territory or limit the spread of possible infection, the Comunity applies regulatory measures aimed at reducing health risks. With this in mind, animals and their products may only be imported or traded within the Community under conditions providing all the necessary health safeguards. All these measures form part of the Community acquis which must be adopted by the applicant countries.

7. In the context of structural policy, there are a number of rural development measures which can be taken with a view to encouraging the production and sale of local products. Furthermore, where diseases occur, Community provisions already impose restrictions on the movement of animals and their products.