WRITTEN QUESTION E-1290/01

by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Subject: Transport of live animals exports to third countries

Hundreds of thousands of live cattle are exported from the EU to the Middle East and North Africa each year in appalling conditions.

They are loaded onto overcrowded vehicles, often beaten with sticks during the process, and then sent by road to southern European ports from where they are shipped to the Middle East.

On arrival, they are driven to the slaughterhouses, often in temperatures exceeding 40 °C, during which time they suffer stress, dehydration, and in many cases, death. Once in the abattoir the cattle are ritually slaughtered. Their throats are cut without pre-stunning and while they are fully conscious, and it often takes them several minutes to die.

This trade is subsidised by the EU taxpayer through export refunds, to get surplus cattle out of the EU. Will the Commission now end the payment of export refunds on the export of live cattle to third countries, to discourage this cruel trade which simply serves to give livestock farming a bad name?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 2001)

Community exports of live cattle reach approximately 100 000 animals for breeding and 200 000 animals for slaughter per year. Concerning the mistreatment of animals during transport, Commission Regulation (EC) No 615/98 of 18 March 1998 laying down specific detailed rules of application for the export refund arrangements as regards the welfare of live bovine animals during transport(1) stipulates that the payment of export refunds for live bovine animals is subject to compliance, during the transport of the animal up to the first place of unloading in the country of final destination, with the welfare provisions of Council Directive 91/628/EEC of 19 November 1991 on the protection of animals during transport and amending Directives 90/425/EEC and 91/496/EEC(2) and Regulation (EC) No 615/98.

Regulation (EC) No 615/98 provides measures to ensure that an official veterinarian at the point of exit of the Community carries out systematic checks on all consignments with regards to all aspects of the journey which can possibly be verified at this stage (in particular, fitness of the animals, means of transport complying with the provisions of the Directive 91/628/EEC and that provisions have been taken to feed and water the animals). Furthermore, specific checks may be carried out in third countries under the provisions laid down in Articles 3 and 4 of this Regulation. As a result of the checks, the payment of export refunds was refused for 3 150 animals during the period 1 September 1998 to 30 June 2000. Moreover, the Commission is currently undertaking an inquiry in several Member States regarding the implementation of the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 615/98. Its results may lead to financial corrections following the clearance of accounts procedure.

The Commission has a proactive attitude in the multilateral field and has been sustaining efforts to promote acceptance of animal welfare at the international level. Within the context of on-going World Trade Organisation (WTO) agricultural negotiations, the Community has addressed animal welfare in its negotiating proposal as an important non-trade concern. The Commission co-operation with the candidate countries to enlargement resulted in enhanced adoption of the Community acquis in this field. Multilateral activities are pursued also in other fora (e.g. Council of Europe).

With regards to payment of export refunds for the cattle trade (animals for slaughter and breeding), the total amount paid in 2000 (10 months) was 110,8 million. During the last year subsidies paid for cattle exported for slaughter were reduced significantly from 60,50/100 kilogramme (kg) to 41,00/100 kg, following the development of export refunds for meat.

Regarding the possibility of ending the payment of export refunds in order to discourage this trade, experience following the first bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis (1996) has shown that there would not be any decrease as importing countries have immediately found alternative suppliers in other export countries, often requiring even further journies than is required for imports from the Community.

(1) OJ L 82, 19.3.1998.

(2) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.