WRITTEN QUESTION E-1797/01

by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission

(19 June 2001)

Subject: Fur farming in the European Union

Can the Commission indicate the quantity and type of fish that are fed to animals in fur farms in each Member State and how that usage relates to the current fishing agreements?

Does the Commission monitor what happens to the skinned carcasses which are the by-product of fur farms, whether these enter the human or animal food chain, and whether safety precautions are enforced?

Is the Commission aware that Greece receives subsidises for processing fur? Can the Commission explain in brief how the fur farming industry operates within the context of EU policies for products derived from animals?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The data sought, on the quantity and type of fish used for feeding fur animals, is not at present available to the Commission. But, the industry in the Nordic countries has indicated that, in the year 2000, the use of fish from the Baltic Sea was around 60 000 tonnes, 10 000 tonnes and 30 000 tonnes in Finland, Sweden and Denmark, respectively. These figures do not include industries using fish from the Baltic Sea for fishmeal, fish oil or other purposes. Also, they do not include fur farmers who import fish for fur farming purposes from regions other than the Baltic Sea.

Concerning, skinned carcases of fur animals, these are generally considered as by-products of the production of fur and, as such, must comply with the provisions of Council Directive 90/667/EEC of 27 November 1990(1) on animal waste, requiring Member States to ensure that animal by-products are disposed of or processed in safe and controlled conditions. As a rule, this applies to fur animal by-products. However, Member States may, in restricted circumstances and under veterinary supervision, authorise the use of fur animal by-products for the production of feed for similar animals whose flesh does not enter the food chain.

The use of fur animal by-products for the production of feed for similar animals is not prohibited by current Community legislation providing for a total suspension on the feeding of processed animal protein to farmed animals which are kept, fattened or bred for the production of food. But Council Decision 2000/766/EC of 4 December 2000 concerning certain protection measures with regard to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and the feeding of animal protein(2) imposes a basic requirement on the competent authorities to ensure that, where such feed is produced, it is manufactured in plants that prepare exclusively feed for those animals, and does not present a risk to human or animal health. Furthermore, such feed must not derive from, or contain specified risk material as foreseen by the Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies(3).

Regarding subsidies for processing fur, in the context of diversification of activities in rural areas, the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) co-financing, which is limited to investment aids for fur rearing, is not excluded under the condition that the relevant hygienic, environmental and animal welfare prescriptions are respected. However, such an intervention is very exceptional. Since fur is not a product of Annex I, EAGGF intervention for fur processing is excluded.

(1) OJ L 363, 27.12.1990.

(2) OJ L 306, 7.12.2000, as implemented by Commission Decision 2001/9/EC of 29 December 2000, (OJ L 2, 5.1.2001), and as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001 of 29 June 2001, (OJ L 177, 30.6.2001).

(3) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001.