WRITTEN QUESTION No. 106/99 by Sirkka-Liisa ANTTILA Extension of EU animal welfare requirements to imports from third countries
Date: 1999-02-02
Institutions: ANTTILA, European Parliament
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, exchange of information, fattening, import, intensive livestock farming, international negotiations, livestock farming, protection of animals, third country













EUR-Lex - 91999E0106 - EN






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91999E0106

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 106/99 by Sirkka-Liisa ANTTILA Extension of EU animal welfare requirements to imports from third countries  


Official Journal C 341 , 29/11/1999 P. 0051 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0106/99by Sirkka-Liisa Anttila (ELDR) to the Commission(2 February 1999)Subject: Extension of EU animal welfare requirements to imports from third countriesCouncil Directive 91/630/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs(1) and Council Directive 91/629/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves(2) contain an "Article 8" which has remained a dead letter because of its provisions concerning third countries. Article 15 of Council Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing(3) is a similar article concerning third countries and imports from them.According to these articles, when animals (or meat) are imported into Community territory from third countries, they must be accompanied by a certificate issued by the authorities testifying that, in the third country, the animals have been kept and treated at least as well as the relevant Community provisions require.When Council Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes(4) was under consideration, the third-country issue became a major problem. Under the WTO Agreement, the imposition of such a requirement on third countries could have been regarded as discriminatory, as an illegal barrier to trade and competition and hence as violating the Agreement.Many EU Member States took the view that it was necessary by one means or another to secure guarantees that the welfare of farm animals in third countries was equivalent to that in the EU. In connection with the adoption of the farm animals welfare Directive, moreover, it was stated that it must be possible to influence international requirements concerning the welfare of farm animals through international organisations and agreements, i.e. in other ways than by creating barriers to imports.What will the Commission do to resolve the third-country issue and bring animal welfare requirements up to EU standards?Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission(19 March 1999)As the Commission has stated previously, the possibility of amending World trade organisation (WTO) rules in order to take account of welfare concerns will be addressed in the context of the determination of the Community negotiating objectives for the next stage of the WTO negotiations.In addition, the Commission has initiated the procedure set out in Article 8 of Council Directive of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes(5), by requesting all countries which export animals or animal products to the Community to communicate any legislation or other provisions which they apply concerning the welfare of animals kept on farms, during transport and at the time of slaughter.Once this information has been received, it will be assessed in the light of both Article 8 of Directive 98/58/EC and WTO obligations.(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 33.(2) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 28.(3) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 21.(4) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23.(5) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998.