WRITTEN QUESTION E-2131/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(17 July 2001)

Subject: Conservation of endangered animal breeds in the European Union

The September 2000 rural development programme in Flanders incorporates a financial aid measure to protect endangered animal breeds. This programme provides for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999(1). Conservation measures may be adopted only in respect of endangered breeds which appear on the FAO list (pending the adoption of a European list, the measures shall be confined to these breeds (p. 211)). Thus Flanders is required to confine itself to the West Flanders Red Breed. However, extra measures are required because the survival of other Flemish cattle breeds, such as the East Flanders White and Red, the White and Blue Beef and Dairy Cow and the Kempen Dapple Red, is becoming increasingly precarious.

Will the Commission amend Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 so that Flanders can also adopt conservation measures to help Flemish cattle breeds other than the West Flanders Red to survive? If not, why does the Commission refuse to amend Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 with a view to conserving Flemish cattle breeds other than the West Flanders Red, as their survival is increasingly endangered?

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 2001)

Articles 22 to 24 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/99 (on support for rural development from the European Agricultural and Guidance and Guarantee Fund) offer subsidies to farmers who commit to agricultural practices favouring, inter alia, genetic diversity. Article 13 of the implementing Commission Regulation ((EC) No 1750/1999 of 23 July 1999(1)) states that such practices may include rearing farm animals of local breeds in danger of extinction. The annex to the same Regulation (§9, VI) requires the Member States, in their rural development plans, to supply evidence of the endangered status of the breed consistent with scientific data accepted by international organisations regarded as authorities in this field.

Many Member State fail to supply such evidence in their rural development plans, in which case the Commission bases its assessment of the endangered status of the breeds applied for on the FAO's World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity (editions 2 and 3), currently the only generally available international reference in this area. The criteria followed by the FAO since 1996 being, however, extremely stringent - especially compared to those applied by the Community for Regulation (EC) No 2078/92 - many breeds already receiving agri-environmental aid under Regulation (EC) No 2078/92 end up being excluded.

A majority of the Member States having expressed concern at the Agriculture Council, the Commission has concluded that the FAO criteria appear to be too restrictive for the purposes of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999. A scientific committee is to look into the definition of more appropriate criteria.

Pending these, an interim solution has been put in place: by an amendment to Regulation (EC) No 1750/1999 (Regulation 672/2001(2)), Member States may, until 31 December 2001 (the transitional period allowed for), make new 5-year commitments for breeds supported under previous schemes.

Once the aforesaid scientific committee has come up with new criteria for Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, these will be incorporated in the legislation and will apply for the remainder of the current programming phase.

(1) OJ L 214, 13.8.1998.

(2) OJ L 93, 3.4.2001.