WRITTEN QUESTION P-2028/97 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission (5 June 1997)

Subject: European subsidy for the slaughter of piglets

On 4 February 1997 a case of swine fever was discovered at a farm in Venhorst. Since then 168 other pig farms have been declared infected and there is no end in sight yet to the spread of the disease. At the beginning of April it became known that the disease was also present at the Wanroij AI unit which had supplied sperm to 1675 pig farms throughout the Netherlands. The results of the investigations at these farms is expected only at the end of this month.

In connection with the ban on movement announced by the Dutch Minister Mr van Aartsen, farmers cannot move their pigs and manure. However, because these measures have not included a ban on breeding, housing is becoming overcrowded. The solution is being sought in the slaughter of at least 500 000 piglets between three and 17 days old.

The Commission is once again providing substantial financial aid for this crisis measure.

1. Does the Commission consider that the best possible measure is to slaughter newly born piglets, while the insemination of sows continues normally and it has also not been possible to halt the spread of the disease?

2. Does the Commission share my view that it would be wiser to provide subsidies to ensure that piglets are not born and to introduce, for example, a (limited) ban on breeding with immediate effect?

3. Does it consider that the discovery of the marker vaccine, which is recognizable as such, is an opportunity to investigate whether the ban on vaccinations for pigs intended for export can be reviewed in the near future?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (1 July 1997)

1. The slaughtering of new born piglets is one of the various possibilities to support the Dutch pig farmers in order to overcome the difficulties linked to the persistence of classical swine fever in the Netherlands. Upon urgent request of the Dutch authorities, the Commission included the slaughtering of those piglets in the exceptional market support measures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 413/97 ((OJ L 62, 4. 3.1997. )), in order to reduce expenditure in the coming months, to bring down the weight of the animals delivered to the authorities and to be able to stop the intake of heavy piglets and fattening pigs in the near future.

2. At the beginning of the month of June, the Dutch authorities introduced a ban on insemination of sows in the centre of the infected area, near Venhorst. The Commission welcomes this measure, which is justified by the possible length of the disease and the necessity to take totally new steps in order to combat the disease. The Dutch authorities are preparing a compensation system for the holders of those sows and they have invited the Commission to co-finance this measure. The request is being studied.

3. To obtain information on the potential advantages and disadvantages of the use of a marker vaccine during a disease epidemic the Commission has invited the scientific veterinary committee to deliver an opinion on this issue. The findings from this study being carried out by the scientific committee and findings from two studies on classical swine fever epidemiology partly financed by the Community and performed in Belgium ((OJ L 7, 10. 1.1996. )) and Germany ((OJ L 240, 20. 9.1996. )) will bring data on virus transmission, detection of infection and disease control of importance to the Commission for the forthcoming review of the legislation on measures to control classical swine fever.

No marker vaccine against classical swine fever has yet obtained a marketing authorisation within the framework of the Community legislation laid down in Council Directive 90/677/EC ((OJ L 373, 31.12.1990. )) relating to veterinary medicinal products and laying down additional provisions for immunological veterinary medicinal products. This means that data are not available on the potency, innocuity and safety of such a vaccine. The Commission is aware of that progress has been made in the development of marker vaccines by use of biotechnology. The Commission will certainly investigate the potential effect the use of marker vaccines could have on trade when data on the efficacy of such vaccines and on the sensitivity and specificity of the accompanying diagnostic tests are available.