WRITTEN QUESTION E-0367/02

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Report on welfare of animals bred for fur

On 12 and 13 December 2001, the Scientific Committee for Animal Health and Animal Welfare brought out a report on the welfare of animals kept for fur production.

In a recent article in the Netherlands press (Agrarisch Dagblad ('Agricultural Daily'), 30 January 2002) it is stated that the conclusions reached by the researchers in the working party were substantially altered by the above committee. Mr De Jonge, researcher and member of the working party that drew up the report, states in the above article that positive findings concerning the wellbeing of mink were removed from the report.

1. Can the Commission confirm that the above scientific committee adjusted the report in the manner stated?

2. If so, can the Commission state what considerations led to that adjustment?

3. Does the Commission consider that the report as it now stands presents an accurate picture of the welfare of animals bred for fur in the EU?

4. Does the Commission draw any particular conclusions from the report with a view to the European policy to be pursued?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-0285/02 and E-0367/02given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 March 2002)

The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare, as one of the eight scientific committees established by Commission Decision 97/579/EC of 23 July 1997 setting up Scientific Committees in the

field of consumer health and food safety(1), provides independent scientific advice as part of the risk assessment exercise on potential risks to public health, animal health, animal welfare etc. It is the Commission's policy not to interfere in this process in order to ensure that public trust in the transparency and independence of the risk assessment exercise remains intact.

The Committee's sub-committee on animal welfare established a working group with a mandate to prepare a report on the welfare of animals kept for fur production, for submission to the sub-committee. It was made clear to the working group, as is provided for in the Commission Decision, that it would be the responsibility of the sub-committee to prepare and adopt a draft opinion with a final adoption of the opinion by the Committee after review and possible amendment. This procedure was followed. After an in depth examination of the working group's report, the sub-committee adopted a draft opinion on 26 November 2001, with final adoption by the Committee on 12-13 December 2001. The Commission is satisfied that the provisions of its Decision establishing the Scientific Committees and governing their operation were followed.

Following the adoption of the opinion, a member of the Working Group, on behalf of six of the eight members, sent a letter to the Commission and to the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare. The views expressed in the letter were discussed at the meeting of sub-committee on Animal Welfare on 21 of January 2002 and in the meeting of the Scientific Committee on 5 February 2002. The Committee decided to reply to the members of the working group and to publish on the Internet an erratum(2) containing the modifications accepted by the Committee.

The Commission reserves the right to take the final decision on the appropriate follow-up action. This is in accordance with the approach that whilst scientific risk assessment must be carried out independently and transparently by Scientific Committees, risk management is a matter for the Commission and the other Community institutions. In the case of fur farming, the Commission will therefore decide whether follow-up action, if any, is required and will submit any legislative proposals to the Member States and/or the Parliament. The opinion of the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare will be taken into account in this process.

(1) OJ L 237, 28.8.1997.

(2) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scah/outcome_en.html

opinions.