WRITTEN QUESTION E-1310/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (11 April 1997)

Subject: Pathogens

The Commission has submitted a proposal for a Council Directive amending Council Directive 92/118/EEC of 17 December 1992 laying down animal health and public health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of products not subject to the said requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I) to Directive 89/662/EEC and, as regards pathogens, to Directive 90/425/EEC (COM(96)393 final ((OJ C 284, 27.9.1996, p. 18. )) - 96/0197 CNS).

The proposal, which is intended to simplify the directive, should not cover unprocessed liquid manure from poultry. Given the substantial risk of transmission of diseases such as salmonella, avian influenza and Newcastle disease which such manure entails, the Commission is asked to retain the Community list.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1997)

On 24 July 1996 the Commission submitted to the Council a proposal for a Council Directive ((COM(96) 393 final. )) amending Directive 92/118/EEC ((OJ L 62, 15.3.1993. )) of 17 December 1992 laying down animal health and public health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of products not subject to the said requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I) to Directive 89/662/EEC and, as regards pathogens, to Directive 90/425/EEC 2.

The health requirements relating to trade in and imports of liquid manure are set out in Chapter 14 of Annex I to Directive 92/118/EEC. They were amended by Decision 96/103/EC ((OJ L 24, 31.1.1996. )) to take account of experience gained.

With regard to intra-Community trade in unprocessed liquid manure from poultry, health requirements are specified for Newcastle disease and avian influenza. The guarantees relating to Newcastle disease and avian influenza are laid down in Council Directives 92/40/EEC ((OJ L 167, 22.2.1992. )) and 92/66/EEC ((OJ L 260, 5.9.1992. )) introducing Community measures to combat avian influenza and Newcastle disease, respectively. Moreover, in the case of Newcastle disease, additional guarantees relating to region of destination are laid down regarding its status as 'not vaccinating against Newcastle disease'. The product must also be accompanied by a health certificate.

Directive 92/118/EEC provides for lists of third-country establishments to be drawn up for products covered by the Directive. It was decided in the light of the experience gained as regards the protection of public and animal health that such lists were not justified for certain products such as the skins of ungulates, bones and bone products not intended for animal or human consumption, beekeeping products, hunting trophies, liquid manure, wool, feathers and honey. Consequently, in the interests of simplification the Commission proposed to the Council to abolish the requirement to draw up such lists and instead to ensure that establishments are registered by the competent authority of the third country. The Commission proposal was adopted on 17 December 1996 as Council Directive 96/90/EC ((OJ L 13, 16.1.1997. )), after approval by Parliament on 25 October 1996 ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996. )) within the framework of the consultation procedure.