WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3757/97 by John IVERSEN to the Commission. Early marketing premium
Date: 1997-11-17
Institutions: European Parliament, IVERSEN
Subjects: agricultural statistics, calf, cattle, livestock, protection of animals, restriction on competition, slaughter of animals, statistical method, transport of animals, weight and size

C 174/120

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(10 December 1997)

The question of granting refugee status to asylum seekers in the Member States is the competence of Member
States. Nevertheless, a joint position on the harmonised application of the definition of the term (cid:145)refugee(cid:146) in
Article 1 of the 1951 Geneva Convention (1), to which the Honourable Member could usefully refer, has been
adopted within in the framework of the cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs under Title VI of the
Treaty on European union.

The very question of people coming from Iraq was raised at the General affairs Council on 6 October 1997, as
well as at a meeting of Justice and home affairs ministers in Mondorf on 9-10 October 1997. It is now under
examination in the relevant groups of the Council.

(1) 

Joint position of 4 March 1996 defined by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union on the harmonised
application of the definition of the term (cid:146)refugee(cid:146) in Article 1 of the Geneva convention of 28 July 1951 relating to the status of refugee
(OJ L 63, 13.3.1996).

(98/C 174/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3757/97

by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission

(17 November 1997)

Subject: Early marketing premium

In fixing a maximum weight for obtaining the early marketing premium, a slaughter weight of more than 160 kg
for calves is used for the Netherlands and Belgium. The definition of a calf is an animal with a slaughter weight
of less than 160 kg. It is mathematically impossible to obtain an average which is above the ceiling for the group.

How can the Commission justify using a weight from Eurostat which is based on an erroneous use of the

1.
definition of a calf?

2.
In view of the fact that this error produces distortion of competition, resulting in some 60 000 baby calves
being transported every year from Denmark to the Netherlands › in poor conditions for the animals(cid:146) welfare as
the newborn calves are unsteady on their legs › does the Commission not consider it necessary to rectify the
mistake?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 December 1997)

The definition of a (cid:145)calf(cid:146) for statistical purposes is laid down in Commission Decision 94/433/EC of 30 May 1994
laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive 93/24/EEC as regards the statistical surveys
on cattle population and production, and amending the said Directive (1). That definition refers to a maximum
live weight of 300 kilograms. Slaughter calves with good to excellent conformation will generally yield a carcase
weight  above  160  kilograms.  Consequently,  the  Commission  fails  to  identify  the  error  referred  to  in  the
Honourable Member(cid:146)s question.

With regard to transport of calves Council Directive 91/628/EEC, as amended, provides the necessary protective
measures for animals during transport. According to information available to the Commission, Denmark through
its national laws complies fully with that Directive.

(1)  OJ L 179, 13.7.1994.