WRITTEN QUESTION E-0986/01

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: Normal funding of CAP and measures to eradicate BSE in Greece

It has recently been estimated that measures to eradicate BSE may last a number of years and thus completely upset the normal funding of the Common Agricultural Policy, since even the cost of implementing Regulation (EC) 2777/2000(1) adopting exceptional support measures for the beef market, which provides for a scheme under which bovine animals over 30 months old may be purchased for destruction instead of being slaughtered for human consumption, will be in excess of 1 billion. next year.

Bearing mind also that from 1 January 2001 all the Member States are obliged under Decision 2001/8/EC(2) to apply reinforced rules for the testing of bovine animals entering the food chain and annual programmes of epidemio-surveillance of BSE involving rapid post mortem tests, will the Commission say:

1. How does it intend to address the cost explosion in the beef sector due to the implementation of the measures to eradicate BSE without disturbing the normal funding of the CAP and the agreed framework for the financial perspective?

2. Have the legislative, regulatory and administrative provisions for the implementation of the BSE epidemio-surveillance programme entered into force in Greece, what spending has been made and what progress achieved, according to the report which the Greek authorities were due to submit to the Commission in March 2001?

3. What checks have been carried out (sampling and laboratory tests) in Greece on the basis of Decision 2000/374/EC(3) on epidemio-surveillance for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies by the two national reference laboratories and what were their findings?

4. What aid has Greece received from the Community in connection with the Community reference laboratories designated at Community level in accordance with Directives 92/46/EEC(4), 92/117/EEC(5), 1999/72/EC(6) and Decisions 1999/312/EC(7) and 1999/313/EC(8)?

5. Has an electronic tagging and registration system been introduced for cattle in Greece and what is the state of implementation of Directive 93/43/EC(9) on the hygiene of foodstuffs?

(1) OJ L 321, 19.12.2000, p. 47.

(2) OJ L 2, 5.1.2001, p. 28.

(3) OJ L 135, 8.6.2000, p. 27.

(4) OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 1.

(5) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 38.

(6) OJ L 210, 10.8.1999, p. 12.

(7) OJ L 120, 8.5.1999, p. 37.

(8) OJ L 120, 8.5.1999, p. 40.

(9) OJ L 175, 19.7.1993, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 May 2001)

1. For the financial year 2001, the appropriations from the initial budget were established at a time when the forecasts for the agricultural markets were favourable. The initial appropriations estimated as sufficient for financing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2001 accordingly amount to 38 803 million, leaving a margin of 1 232 million in relation to the financial ceiling for the agricultural sector.

Following the BSE crisis which erupted at the end of 2000 and the measures adopted in December 2000, the costs of which for 2001 were estimated to be 971 million, the Commission proposed and the budgetary authority adopted an amending supplementary budget at the end of February 2001 which increases the appropriations for the bovine sector by 971 million. Total agricultural appropriations were increased by 726 million because, in accordance with the rules of budgetary discipline, the supplementary revised budget had to take account of the development of the dollar-euro exchange rate and reduce, by 245 million, the appropriations for certain sectors. The new agricultural appropriations for financing the CAP, except for rural development, come to 39 529 and remain below the financial ceiling for the agricultural sector

The budget for 2002 has not yet been drawn up. However, as part of the preparatory work, it is estimated that the additional expenditure resulting from the measures adopted and proposed following the BSE crisis will continue to be financed in accordance with the financial perspective.

It should be noted that the assumptions on which these forecasts are based are not altogether solid. If these assumptions prove to be optimistic, it will be necessary to revise the financial estimates upwards and re-examine the situation with regard to the ceiling of the financial perspective. Foot-and-mouth disease is also another element which creates uncertainty and budgetary risk. The situation is therefore being monitored carefully.

2. and 3. At the beginning of this year, Member States were asked to send a report to the Commission on the status of implementation of the new BSE-related Community measures. In that report, Greece confirmed that the new legislation on BSE testing had been implemented. The Food and Veterinary Office checked the implementation of BSE-related legislation, including epidemio-surveillance, in an inspection carried out in Greece in February 2001. Once the final report of this mission has been completed, it will be circulated to the Parliament and published on the Commission's web-site. A further mission to Greece is scheduled to take place within the next few months.

According to monthly reports on BSE testing received from the Greek veterinary services, a total of 2 147 BSE tests were carried out between January and March 2001. Of these, 2 052 were made in healthy slaughtered cattle, 57 in dead-on-farm cattle and 38 in emergency slaughtered cattle. In addition, two clinically suspect animals were examined for BSE. The results of all tests and examinations were negative. No report has so far been received on spending.

4. So far, the Community has not granted financial aid to Greece pursuant to the Directives and Decision mentioned by the Honourable Member. None of the Community Reference Laboratories mentioned in those Directives and Decisions is situated in Greece.

5. The Commission is not aware of the introduction of an electronic ear-tagging system for cattle in Greece. The Commission project on electronic identification of animals (IDEA) is due to be finalised by the end of this year. On the basis of the outcome of this project the Commission will present a report on electronic identification accompanied by possible proposals to the Parliament and the Council.

With regard to Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Greece informed the Commission of the act of transposition of 27 October 2000. Each Member State is responsible for implementing the Directive. The Commission, through the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO), carries out on-site checks in the form of audits to ascertain how the Member States have transposed and implemented the Directive.