WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3200/97 by Giulio FANTUZZI to the Commission. Proper interpretation of the term 'vitello' (calf - veal)
Date: 1997-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, FANTUZZI
Subjects: animal welfare, calf, market organisation, market prices, representative price, sales promotion













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91997E3200

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3200/97 by Giulio FANTUZZI to the Commission. Proper interpretation of the term 'vitello' (calf - veal)  


Official Journal C 158 , 25/05/1998 P. 0056 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3200/97 by Giulio Fantuzzi (PSE) to the Commission (16 October 1997)Subject: Proper interpretation of the term 'vitello' (calf - veal)The type of animal to which the term 'vitello' (calf - veal) refers in European legislation varies, depending on whether the relevant provisions concern protection during rearing and transport, imports from third countries, market intervention or quality standards for beef promotion measures.1. Is there a specific provision which establishes the required characteristics of animals whose meat is marketed as 'veal'?2. Does the Commission agree that steps should be taken to harmonize the characteristics of animals defined as 'calves' - in terms of weight, age, type of rearing and feeding - in the various relevant provisions?Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (14 November 1997)1. A single rule defining bovine animals on the basis of their specific character does not exist at Community level. However, depending on the individual problems which have arisen, the following definitions are used:* under the common organisation of the market, in contrast to large bovine animals calves may not have a live weight greater than 300 kilograms (Article 1(2)(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 of 27 June 1968 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal ((OJ L 148, 28.6.1968. )));- in the context of animal welfare, a calf is a bovine animal of up to six months in age (Article 2 of Council Directive 91/629/EEC of 19 November 1991 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves ((OJ L 340, 11.12.1991. )));- in connection with the promotion of meat, calves for slaughtering must to given liquid food containing at least 60% milk products, may not be older than six months or 140 kg carcase weight including all organs contained in the thoracic and abdominal cavities (see Annex I, point 3.5, to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1318/93 of 28 May 1993 on detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2067/92 on measures to promote and market quality beef and veal ((OJ L 132, 29.5.1993. )));- for the purposes of recording prices on the Community's representative markets, the definition is either for male calves aged from 8 days to 3 weeks (Article 8 of Commission Regulation (EEC)No 610/77 of 18 March 1977 on the determination of prices of adult bovine animals on representative Community markets and the survey of prices of certain other cattle in the Community ((OJ L 77, 25.3.1977. ))) or lean cattle aged on average between 6 and 12 months, of male sex, of an average weight equal to or lower than 300 kg live weight (Article 9 of the same Regulation as above), or calves for slaughtering reared exclusively on milk or preparations containing milk and slaughtered at up to six months of age (Article 10 of the same Regulation).2. In view of the different purposes served, the Commission does not plan to draw up a single definition of 'calves' which could be used in all the above cases.