WRITTEN QUESTION No. 495/99 by Mark WATTS Welfare of animals at slaughter
Date: 1999-03-05
Institutions: European Parliament, WATTS
Subjects: animal health, animal welfare, greenhouse gas, nitrogen, oxygen, poultry, protection of animals, slaughter of animals, veterinary legislation

C 348/84

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.12.1999

(1999/C 348/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0495/99

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(5 March 1999)

Subject: Welfare of animals at slaughter

In reply to my Written Question of 10 July 1998 on this matter (E-2088/98) (1) the Commission stated that it
was the intention of the Commission ‘in the near future’ to submit two reports, one to the Council and one to
the Standing Veterinary Committee, on a variety of matters which could improve the welfare of animals at
slaughter.

In particular the Commission stated that it is ‘the intention of the Commission to include in the proposal a
requirement that animals which have been stunned must be bled by incising both carotid arteries or the vessels
from which they arise in order to produce a rapid bleed-out and death, and in addition provisions laying down
minimum stunning currents for the various species concerned.’

When does the Commission intend to submit the reports and proposals referred to in their earlier answer?

(1) OJ C 13, 13.1.1999, p. 146.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 1999)

The Commission can inform the Honourable Member that since its answer to his written question E-2088/98
the scientific committee on animal health and animal welfare has given an opinion (1) on the use of gases
(carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen) to stun or kill poultry. This opinion will be taken into account in the
proposal, which the Commission intends to present shortly.

(1) XXIV/B3/AHAW/RO4/1998 final.

(1999/C 348/104)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0496/99

by Bartho Pronk (PPE) to the Commission

(5 March 1999)

Subject: Posting of workers

In 1994 the European Commission had a study carried out on the application of the provisions of Regulation
1408/71 (1) in the case of posting. The results of this study were presented at a conference in Crete. For the first
time, actual figures were presented on the posting of workers and self-employed persons and an insight was
gained into how the rules on posting were being applied in the Member States. One of the conclusions of the
report was that a marked increase in the number of postings and consequently the free movement of workers
and self-employed persons was to be observed.

The importance of posting has further increased from the political point of view. New directives have been
adopted by the Council and the European Parliament in which posting plays an important role, such as
Directive 96/71/EC concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services and
Directive 98/49/EC on safeguarding the supplementary pension rights of employed and self-employed persons
moving within the Community.

1.
Does the Commission agree that, in view of the growing importance of posting in Community policy in
relation to the free movement of workers and self-employed persons, it is necessary to repeat the above
research, paying particular attention to:

@ statistical trends in respect of posting;

@ the impact of recent case law and decisions by the Administrative Commission relating to posting
(including Decision 162 and case law relating to the posting of self-employed persons) on the
implementation of the rules on posting by the Member States?