WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3694/98 by Jan MULDER to the Commission. The stunning of poultry for slaughter
Date: 1998-12-07
Institutions: European Parliament, MULDER
Subjects: animal health, animal welfare, electrical energy, poultry, poultrymeat, product quality, slaughter of animals

21.7.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 207/111

The Commission has indicated its willingness to cooperate with the Lithuanian government in the preparation
of a comprehensive energy strategy. This should include consideration of the consequences resulting from the
closure of the plant. Provided Lithuania commits itself to an acceptable closure timetable, support financing
can be made available from the Community budget. Any future Phare funds for the Lithuanian energy sector
will be conditional upon the adoption of a national energy strategy in line with the NSA agreement,
confirmation of the commitment not to rechannel and the adoption of a realistic closure timetable.

(1999/C 207/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3694/98

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(7 December 1998)

Subject: The stunning of poultry for slaughter

Directive 93/119 (1) permits the customary waterbath method for the stunning of poultry. However, in recent
years methods of gas stunning of poultry have been developed which result in an improved quality end
product and better guarantees of animal welfare. Some of these methods are based on two research projects
financed by the EU: AIR 3 Project CT94-0885 and Volair EU 113711.

Can the Commission confirm that the gas stunning of poultry can produce better results, in terms of

1.
both product quality and animal welfare, than the waterbath method?

2.
Can the Commission indicate when it will implement Article 13(2)(b) and (c) of the Directive which
states that the Commission shall submit, no later than 31 December 1995, proposals concerning the gas
stunning of animals?

Does the Commission agree that speed is of the essence in submitting these proposals from the economic

3.
point of view and, more importantly, from the point of view of animal welfare?

(1) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 21.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 1999)

In June 1998 the scientific committee on animal health and animal welfare reported on the use of mixtures of
carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen for stunning or killing poultry (1). The report showed that, in comparison
with electricity, the use of combinations of these gases can improve the quality of the meat and the welfare of
the animals.

Based on the opinion of the scientific veterinary committee, the Commission is preparing a proposal for the
stunning and killing of animals, which should be presented shortly.

(1)

http://europa.eu.int/comm.dg24/health/sc/scah/outcome.

(1999/C 207/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3702/98

by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission

(7 December 1998)

Subject: Twinning partnership programme

According to information in the press, the first national officials of the Member States will be sent to the
ministries of the candidate countries in January 1999 to help them build administrative and institutional
capacities. These transfers are, it is said, to be confined to the areas of agriculture, the environment, finances
and justice and home affairs, with the Commission ensuring coordination of the partnerships on the basis of
the projects proposed by the CEEC and the corresponding offers made by the Member States.