WRITTEN QUESTION No. 128/98 by John IVERSEN to the Commission. Transport of calves and maximum weights
Date: 1998-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, IVERSEN
Subjects: Belgium, Netherlands, calf, disclosure of information, marketing, protection of animals, slaughter of animals, slaughter premium, transport of animals, weight and size

C 223/120

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 7. 98

(98/C 223/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0128/98

by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission

(22 January 1998)

Subject: Transport of calves and maximum weights

In  the  Commission(cid:146)s  answer  P-3757/97 (1)  it  is  asserted,  without  documentary  backing,  that  the  best
slaughter-calves with a live weight of 300 kg can yield a carcass weight above 160 kg.

Even if this is were correct, it would still be mathematically impossible to obtain an average of 162 kg for all
calves of live weights below 300 kg.

On  page  12  of  the  Commission(cid:146)s  report,  COM(97)  165,  there  is  a  breakdown  of  calves  for  slaughter  in  the
Netherlands  from  December  1996  to  1997  week/12.  Column  II  shows  calves  which,  regardless  of  the  early
marketing  premium,  would  have  been  delivered  in  those  weight  groups,  i.e.  the  breakdown  for  1995.  These
84 464 calves had an average weight of 118.7 kg.

If Column II is extrapolated to include weight groups up to 165 kg, it is mathematically impossible to distribute
the remaining 284 150 calves delivered in the Netherlands over a sixteen week period among these weight groups
so as to end up with a weighted average of 162 kg for these 368 614 calves. Even if the remaining 284 150 calves
are assumed each to weigh 162 kg, the weighted average will still only be 154 kg.

As of course all other calves will not be delivered at 300 kg live weight and with (cid:145)good to excellent conformation(cid:146)
there must have been errors in the Dutch and Belgian returns to Eurostat.

1. Will  the  Commission  give  documentary  evidence  of  the  average  carcass  weight  for  calves  whose  live
weight is less than 300 kg?

2. Will the Commission show the distribution of calves slaughtered in 1995 in the Netherlands and Belgium,
broken down by weight groups?

If this is claimed to be impossible, will the Commission state the estimated distribution among the weight
3.
groups for the Netherlands and Belgium of slaughter calves which can produce an average weight of 162 kg?

(1)  OJ C 174, 8.6.1998, p. 120.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(13 February 1998)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible.

(98/C 223/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0129/98

by Eva Kjer Hansen (ELDR) to the Commission

(23 January 1998)

Subject: Chemicals in textiles

Tests  of  textiles  have  revealed  that  they  often  contain  large  quantities  of  chemicals  such  as  formaldehyde,
azo-dyes, dioxin and pesticides as well as heavy metals such as copper, chrome, cobalt, zinc and nickel which are
suspected of causing cancer, allergies and eczema and damaging embryos. Since there are no common EU rules
on  labelling  or  prohibitions  on  the  subject  and  only  very  few  Member  States  have  any,  consumers  are  at  a
disadvantage.