WRITTEN QUESTION E-0914/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) and Gianfranco Fini (UEN) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Poultry crisis in Italy

No doubt the Commission is aware of the poultry crisis which affected several regions of northern Italy in 1999, particularly Lombardy and Veneto.

In December 1999, there was an outbreak of the highly virulent influenza strain H7N1. The European Union and the government minimised the phenomenon, and the Commission did not give proper consideration to the fact that if vaccines were not used, the virus could become more virulent.

When later, in August 2000, influenza spread once again, the virus remained at a low level of pathogenicity thanks to vaccination. However, the EU and the Italian Government were not really troubled by the 9,4 million chickens which died or were killed in Lombardy alone (1 354 880 in the province of Bergamo, 4 728 357 in Brescia, 132 103 in Cremona and 3 254 676 in Mantua, representing 26 % of total stocks).

The figures are striking in view of the sizes of the areas involved and the percentage of birds lost, which was 26 % of a total of 36 480 000, and the fact that over 13 million birds were killed in Veneto. Without wishing to dramatise, it is a fact that the national health authorities and the technical Commission bodies acted in unison in backing the mass slaughter ideology. The result was that the actual breeders (not the livestock lessors) suffered enormous commercial losses (interruption of commercial activities for several months) caused by the steps taken by the veterinary authorities.

Can the Commission say whether:

- it has been able to quantify these figures?

- it has calculated the total compensation for interruption of commercial activities?

- it is true that, having made a promise at the negotiating table, the Italian Government cancelled the 360 billion lire subsidy allocated for the right to compensation for indirect loss (resulting from the interruption to breeding lasting from four to nine months caused by steps taken by the veterinary authorities)?

- any EU aid has taken due account of compensation for these losses?

- it has checked that the legislation governing viral emergencies in the bird-rearing sector is still appropriate, or whether it needs to be updated?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(31 May 2001)

The Commission was and is fully aware of the problems caused by the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in December 1999 in Northern Italy.

Between 17 December 1999 and 5 April 2000, it has been reported that a total of 13,7 millions animals died or were destroyed (of which 9,6 millions were in Lombardia and 4 millions in Veneto) in 413 disease outbreaks, whereas 2,2 millions adult birds and 5,4 millions day old chicks were preventively killed in suspected farms. The total of 21,3 millions animals should be compared to annual placings of 573 millions chicks of all poultry species in 1999 which amounts to 3,7 %.

The Commission was informed about the intention of the Italian Government to provide compensation for indirect losses for the poultry industry resulting from interruption of production caused by movement restrictions and other sanitary preventive measures introduced to avoid spread of disease, but no central government measure was ever notified.

The Italian authorities have however notified national aid schemes for both the Lombardia (aid N 49/2000) and Veneto (aid N 248/2000), which envisage compensation for the losses resulting from the interruption of production. The Commission has authorised the aides for Lombardia amounting to ITL 5 billion, and it is currently awaiting for clarifications from the Italian authorities aimed at verifying that the aid measure envisaged for Veneto, and amounting to ITL 15 billion, satisfies all the requirements set by the applicable State aid rules.

Although the Commission has not calculated the total compensation for interruption of commercial activities it has proceeded to a verification of all elements of the above aid schemes.

Community measures for the control and eradication of avian influenza are laid down in Council Directive 92/40/EEC of 19 May 1992(1). These measures include stamping out of infected flocks and contact flocks and controlling movement of poultry, products originating from poultry, vehicles and any other substances liable to transmit avian influenza virus. Furthermore, emergency vaccination may be used. The measures listed in the legislation are still appropriate. The avian influenza virus causing the epidemic in Italy was a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. The epidemiological studies have shown that the virus derived from a low pathogenic virus, which had circulated in the poultry prior to the epidemic. With the aim to clarify aspects of the pathogenicity of the avian influenza virus and its potential to change its pathogenicity the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare was consulted on this issue. The outcome of the consultation was published in a report, SANCO/B3/AH/R17/2000, and made available on the Commission's homepage under the following link: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scah/outcome_en.html

The same report contains information on vaccination against avian influenza.

The opinion delivered by the Scientific Committee, the progress made in avian influenza diagnostic tests and the experience gained from the avian influenza outbreaks in Italy are included in the background documentation to be used during an updating of the disease control measures governed by Council Directive 92/40/EEC.

(1) OJ L 167, 22.6.1992.