WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1305/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Veterinary checks
Date: 1997-04-11
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: customs inspection, customs regulations, customs warehouse, free zone, import, third country, veterinary inspection, veterinary legislation

22. 1. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 21/37

Following the repeal of Directive 90/675/EEC (2) it has become necessary to amend the text of the directive dealt
with in the second Commission proposal, with a view to bringing it into line with the new directive proposed by
the Council.

Would the Commission consolidate the existing legislation at the earliest opportunity, so as to make it clearer and
more user-friendly?

(1)  OJ C 245, 23.8.1996, p. 9.
(2)  OJ L 373, 31.12.1990, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 May 1997)

At present, the Commission has no plans to consolidate the Directives mentioned by the Honourable Member.
On the other hand, a number of them (71/118/EEC, 91/492/EEC, 91/493/EEC, 92/45/EEC and 92/118/EEC) are
included in a general exercise to group the so-called (cid:145)vertical(cid:146) directives on food hygiene in order to simplify the
legislation and achieve consistency. With regard to the financing of checks, on 26 June 1996 the Council adopted
Directive 96/43/EC amending and consolidating Directive 85/73/EEC (1).

(1)  OJ L 162, 1.7.1996.

(98/C 21/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1305/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(11 April 1997)

Subject: Veterinary checks

The Commission has submitted a proposal for a Council Directive laying down the principles governing the
organization  of  veterinary  checks  on  products  entering  the  Community  from  third  countries,  amending
Directives  71/118/EEC,  72/462/EEC,  85/73/EEC,  91/67/EEC,  91/492/EEC,  91/493/EEC,  92/45/EEC  and
92/118/EEC governing the organization of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third
countries (COM(96)170 final › 96/0109/0110(CNS)) (1), (CES 1395/96 › 96/0109/0110/CNS).

So as to obviate the need to refer to the specific customs legislation, would the Commission amend the directive
to  clarify  the  powers  of  the  customs  authorities  and  the  way  in  which  responsibility  is  divided  between  the
customs authorities and the veterinary authorities?

Does it feel that the directive should make cooperation between the two authorities compulsory and that it should
give the competent customs authority, rather than the veterinary authority (as provided for in the proposal for a
directive), exclusive responsibility for supervising free warehouses and customs warehouses?

(1)  OJ C 245, 23.8.1996, p. 9.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(2 June 1997)

The proposals for Council Directives laying down the principles governing the organization of veterinary checks
on  products  entering  the  Community  from  third  countries (1)  were  examined  in  detail  by  Parliament
(17-21 February 1997). In that context the Commission accepted a number of amendments to certain provisions
adopted  by  Parliament,  in  particular  to  clarify  the  respective  responsibilities  of  the  veterinary  and  customs
authorities.

On the particular question raised by the Honourable Member, the Commission has agreed that Article 12(1) of
the proposal should provide for the customs authorities and the veterinary authorities responsible for the border
inspection  post  to  authorize  admission  into  the  free  zone,  the  free  warehouse  or  a  customs  warehouse.
Nevertheless, Article 12(2) stipulates that zones and warehouses must be under the permanent supervision of an
official veterinarian. This rule applies without prejudice to the obligations arising from customs regulations. This
position is in accord with that expressed by Parliament.

(1)  COM(96) 170 final.