WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3585/97 by Kirsten JENSEN to the Commission. Standing Committee on Plant Health
Date: 1997-11-13
Institutions: European Parliament, JENSEN KIRSTEN
Subjects: European Commission, agricultural labour force, committee (EU), decision-making, plant health product, professional association, trade union, worker consultation

C 158/158

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

The calf processing premium is fully compatible with Directive 91/628/EEC on the protection of animals during
transport (1) if the transport of the animals is done in accordance with the provisions of the Directive.

The  Commission  has  examined  in  depth  the  possibility  of  stopping  the  transport  of  these  calves  and  the
conclusion is that such a measure would encounter serious objections under the concept of free movement of
goods if all the Community provisions regarding the transport of animals are respected.

When  Member  States  agreed  in  October  1996  to  measures  to  redress  the  beef  balance,  an  early  marketing
premium was introduced which was designed to reduce red meat production by encouraging veal producers to
reduce the final weight of calves used for veal production while at the same time increasing the actual number of
calves used. Each Member State can choose to apply either the calf processing or the early marketing premium.

(1)  OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, as amended by Directive 95/29/EC, OJ L 148, 30.6.1995.

(98/C 158/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3585/97

by Kirsten Jensen (PSE) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: Standing Committee on Plant Health

Can the Commission say which organizations are represented on the Standing Committee on Plant Health?

The European Federation of Agricultural Workers (EFA) has called for some time now to be represented on this
committee. Can the Commission say why the EFA has still not yet become a member of the committee?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 1997)

The standing committee on plant health was set up by Council Decision 76/894/EEC of 23 November 1976 (1),
and consists of representatives of Member States with a Commission representative in the chair.

The committee carries out the functions delegated to it in the measures adopted by Council in respect of plant
health, in the circumstances and in accordance with the terms laid down in the decision. Several directives, such
as Directive 79/117/EEC prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing
certain active substances (2) and Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the
market (3),  have  provided  a  mandate  to  the  Commission  for  taking  certain  measures  in  accordance  with  the
regulatory committee procedure. The standing committee on plant health gives its opinion on the draft measures
proposed by the Commission in the framework of this decision making procedure.

Participation of representatives of professional organisations in this committee is not envisaged. Consultation of
the professional organisations is however organised within the advisory committees which have been set up by
the  Commission  for  the  main  sectors  of  Community  agriculture.  The  establishment  of  a  permanent  working
group for phytosanitary questions is included in the planned restructuring of these committees.

(1)  OJ L 340, 9.12.1976.
(2)  OJ L 33, 8.2.1979.
(3)  OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.