WRITTEN QUESTION E-3047/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 September 2000)

Subject: Transport of animals

In July and August 2000, investigators from Compassion in World Farming and Animals' Angels spent two weeks in the Italian port of Brindisi. They observed several breaches of Council Directive 91/628/EEC(1) (as amended) on the protection of animals during transport in respect of sheep arriving from the Netherlands and Spain. The main problems observed included the failure to give animals 24 hours rest after the permitted maximum journey time, the transport of unfit animals and the use of basic vehicles which, under Council Regulation 411/98(2), should not be used to transport animals for more than 8 hours, actually to transport them on very much longer journeys.

What steps is the Commission taking (a) to persuade Italy to enforce EU law in respect of animals passing through Brindisi and (b) to persuade Spain and the Netherlands not to permit animals to leave their territory when the consignment is in breach of Council Directive 91/628 and/or Council Regulation 411/98?

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

(2) OJ L 52, 21.2.1998, p. 8.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2000)

The Member States bear the primary responsibility for the enforcement of Community legislation on a day-to day basis, whilst the Commission in turn has a duty to ensure that all Community legislation is properly enforced by the Member States.

In this regard, the Commission has already received information concerning serious problems regarding the enforcement of Community legislation on the protection of animals during transport at the port of Brindisi in Italy. In particular, reports sent to the Commission by the Italian authorities in relation to breaches of Council Directive 91/628/EC of 19 November 1991 on the protection of animals during transport corroborate to some extent the observations made by the animal protection organizations that the Honourable Member has mentioned.

At the beginning of August 2000 the Commission formally requested several Member States to investigate the matter urgently and, in particular, to take the necessary actions in relation to the use of inappropriate vehicles.

The inspectors of the Commissions' food and veterinary office will carry out further inspections in Gorizia, Bari and Brindisi in November in connection with this matter.

It should be mentioned that infringement proceedings have also been opened against some Member States in relation to the failure to implement Community legislation in relation to the protection of animals during transport.

Concerning further initiatives, in accordance with Article 13 of Directive 91/628/EC, as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EC of 29 June 1995(1), the Commission will submit to the Council, as soon as possible, a report on the implementation in the Member States of Community legislation in this field. The report will also be presented to the Parliament.

Following the conclusion of this report the Commission intends to present proposals to improve the transport of animals, and problems related to insufficient enforcement of the provisions mentioned by the Honourable Member will be considered.

(1) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995.