WRITTEN QUESTION E-2366/99

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Commission reports on veterinary missions carried out in France and Greece

On 23 February 1999, the Commission published a Mission Report on a veterinary mission to Greece. The Report revealed serious breaches in Greece of Council Directive 91/628/EEC(1) on the protection of animals during transport. The Report also pointed out that route plans for Spanish and Dutch sheep and French cattle, all destined for Greece, were missing or not correctly filled in in the Member States of origin.

The Commission has also published a Mission Report on a veterinary mission to France. This revealed serious breaches in France of Council Directive 91/628/EEC. The Report also pointed out that the Dutch and German authorities were allowing heifers to be sent on very long journeys, although in advanced pregnancy, and were accepting route plans which showed that transporters did not intend to respect the legal requirement that cattle must be unloaded and rested for 24 hours after 29 hours of transport.

What steps is the Commission taking to require the Dutch, German, French and Greek authorities to ensure compliance with the requirements of Council Directive 91/628/EEC?

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 17.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 2000)

The Commission has recently opened infringement proceedings under Article 226 (ex Article 169) EC Treaty in relation to the breaches of Community animal welfare law mentioned in the report of a veterinary inspection mission to Greece cited by the Honourable Member.

In relation to France, failure to comply with the rules of Council Directive 91/628/EC as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EC of 29 June 1995 concerning the protection of animals during transport(1) appears to be at least partially due to the fact that full transposition of the latter text by that Member State has only recently been completed. Infringement proceedings in respect of such incomplete transposition were opened and the case was brought before the Court of justice. It is the Commission's practice to withdraw such proceedings when the Commission is satisfied that the Member State has satisfied its obligations in relation to the transposition of the Directive. The Commission is also examining information concerning further apparent breaches of the relevant rules by France and will not hesitate to initiate additional Article 226 proceedings if necessary.

The Commission is aware, both from information gathered during inspection missions and as a result of receipt of complaints from animal welfare organisations, that journeys which are in breach of the provisions of the above mentioned directives, notably in relation to time limits and resting, feeding and watering, are still frequently taking place. Consignments of livestock originating in some Member States are not always accompanied by a properly completed route plan. When such breaches come to the attention of the Commission it intervenes with the Member State concerned and is prepared to open infringement proceedings in appropriate cases.

The Commission has recently convened a new working group on the protection of animals during long distance transport which aims to consider all the problems involved in the enforcement of the relevant directives and to find appropriate solutions.

(1) OJ L 282, 15.10.1997.