WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2612/97 by Graham WATSON to the Commission. Organic farming practices
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, WATSON
Subjects: agricultural product, animal health, animal product, biological standard, foodstuff, labelling, organic farming, plant health treatment, product quality, veterinary drug

C 117/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 4. 98

In a different but related exercise, the Commission will ask all Member States for details of the penalty systems
which they currently operate and is examining whether enforcement activity in some Member States is biased
against non-nationals. This examination will take into account the ruling by the Court of Justice (Case C-29/95,
E.  Pastoors).  Should  the  outcome  of  the  exercise  provide  grounds  for  concern,  the  Commission  will  open
discussions with the relevant Member States to address the problem.

The Commission has no evidence of particular arrangements within Belgium or France between the gendarmerie
and tow-away firms which might give rise to any possible conflicts of interest. An investigation into a specific
allegation was carried out and the Belgian authorities subsequently assured the Commission that no irregular
arrangements  exist  between  the  gendarmerie  and  the  tow-away  firm  and  that  instructions  had  been  issued  to
ensure regular checks are carried out on enforcement practice.

(98/C 117/39)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2612/97

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Organic farming practices

The organic livestock regulation proposes to prohibit the use of more than two courses of allopathic treatment per
animal in a year or lifetime. What is the scientific basis for the Commission(cid:146)s recommendations?

Does this effectively prevent farmers from using wormers for ewes at lambing?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 1997)

The Commission proposal (1) for a Council regulation supplementing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic
production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (2) to
include livestock production, includes a provision that would prohibit the sale of organic products from animals
that have received more than two courses of treatment of allopathic medicines other than for parasites. Thus
treatments  for  parasites  (e.g.  wormers  for  ewes)  would  not  be  covered  by  this  provision  and  in  consequence
would be permissible.

In  organic  farming,  the  health  of  animals  is  centered  on  three  basic  principles:  choice  of  breeds  resistant  to
disease, use of organic feedingstuffs and extensive housing conditions. There is evidence that disease problems
are less severe if these principles are applied and recourse to allopathic treatments only necessary in exceptional
cases.

Scientific evidence is taken into account in organic farming but it is not the primary consideration in developing
rules.  Organic  farming  constitutes  a  specific  form  of  production,  benefiting  from  special  labelling  and
guaranteeing a particular quality of product to meet consumers(cid:146) expectations of such products

The restrictions with regard to organic husbandry in general, and in particular those with regard to the use of
allopathic  medicinal  products,  have  been  established  after  careful  examination  of  existing  organic  farming
practices in the Member States and the expectations of consumers with regard to these practices. In this context,
the use of allopathic medicinal products has to be limited to a strict minimum. The Parliament delivered in its
session  of  May  1997  its  opinion  on  the  Commission  proposal  after  a  detailed  examination  of  proposed
production standards and confirmed the basic principle of limited treatments.

(1)  COM(96) 366.
(2)  OJ L 198, 22.7.1991.