WRITTEN QUESTION E-1312/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (11 April 1997)

Subject: Identification of bovine animals and beef products

The Commission has submitted a proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and a proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (COM(96) 460 final - 96/0228/0229 CNS) ((OJ C 349, 20.11.1996, p. 14. )) (CES 1404/96 - 96/0228/0229 CNS).

Given the need for appropriate measures to re-establish normal beef consumption rates, the Commission is to be commended for submitting the above proposals, which are intended to introduce without delay at Community level a system designed to identify bovine animals more clearly and improve the labelling of beef and beef products.

It goes without saying that, for a wide-ranging identification system to be successful, the identification of live animals must be sufficiently reliable. Due account must, however, be taken of how easy the system is to apply in the individual Member States and of any identification systems already in existence.

With a view to ensuring that the system is accepted from the outset, the Commission is asked in particular to avoid imposing an excessive burden on cattle breeders and merchants.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (3 July 1997)

The Council has on 21 April 1997 adopted Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products ((OJ L 117, 7.5.1997. )).

The market in beef and beef products has been destabilised by the spongiform encephalopathy crisis. The re-establishment of stability can most effectively be achieved by improving the transparency of the conditions for the production and marketing of the products concerned particularly as regards traceability. To this end it is essential to establish a more efficient system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and a specific Community labelling system in the beef sector. As a result, confidence in the quality of beef and beef products will be encouraged.

In order to permit movements of bovine animals to be traced, animals must be identified by an eartag applied in each ear and in principle accompanied by a passport throughout any movement. Keepers of animals, with the exception of transporters, must maintain an up-to-date register of the animals on their holdings. In addition, for the purpose of rapid and accurate tracing of animals, each Member State must create a computerised data base which will record the identity of the animals, all holdings on its territory and the movements of the animals.

Furthermore, Article 16 of Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 defines the information which may be placed on a label. This information includes, in particular, the country of origin, the identification number and sex of the animal, methods of fattening or other information related to feeding and a reference number or code to ensure the link between the meat and the animals from which this meat is derived.

The Commission agrees with the technical provision of the Regulation and takes the view that the burdens imposed on the sector concerned are no more than absolutely necessary.