WRITTEN QUESTION E-2489/99 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission. Greek slaughter houses.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, animal welfare, directive (EU), infringement procedure (EU), meat processing industry, protection of animals, slaughter of animals, veterinary inspection

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/147

which tenderers discharge their social obligations, as long as those conditions do not discriminate against
tenderers from other Member States and there is adequate transparency (for example, by reference to the
conditions in the invitation to tender or in the specifications). Moreover, the Directives on public contracts
provide for candidates who have failed to live up to their social obligations or to observe social legislation
to be excluded from award procedures.

In its present task of drawing up new financial regulations, the Commission intends to make it possible to
exclude candidates who have failed to discharge their social obligations, or who have been involved in
fraudulent or corrupt practices,
from contracts awarded by the Commission or financed from the
Community budget.

(1) COM(98) 143 final.
(2) OJ C 341, 29.11.1999.

(2000/C 225 E/160)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2489/99

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Greek slaughter houses

Earlier this year Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) filmed inside four Greek slaughterhouses. In two
sheep abbatoirs, no attempt at all was made to stun the animals before throat-cutting; this is in clear
breach of Council Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing. At
a third Greek sheep abattoir, the animals were stunned, but so ineptly that a proportion of the animals
were regaining consciousness either before or after throat-cutting. At this abattoir, a number of breaches of
Council Directive 93/119/EC (1) were observed. Breaches of the Directive were also observed at a Greek pig
abattoir. These breaches have all been reported by CIWF to the Commission.

What action does the Commission propose to take in respect of
compliance with Council Directive 93/119/EC in Greek slaughterhouses?

these breaches to ensure future

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

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2000)

Veterinary experts from the Commissions food and veterinary office (FVO) have observed shortcomings in
the stunning and killing of animals in slaughterhouses in Greece during missions carried out in November
and December 1998. These reports are published on the web site of the Commission (http://europa.eu.int/
comm/dg24/health/vi/reports/index).

The Greek authorities have been asked by the Commission to take action to ensure that the requirements
of Council Directive 93/119/EC of 22 December 1993 on the protection of animals at the time of
slaughter or killing (1) are respected. In answer, the Greek Ministry of Agriculture informed the Com-
mission that (cid:145)the Central veterinary service has taken all the necessary administrative measures and made
the greatest efforts in enforcing legislation (Directives 91/628/EEC and 93/119/EEC of 19 November 1991
on the protection of animals during transport and amending Directives 90/425/EEC and 91/496/EEC (2))(cid:146).

The Greek Ministry of Agriculture has also scheduled a workshop for the Greek state veterinarians
for February 2000 concerning animal welfare during transport and slaughter.

Another mission to Greece has been planned for the beginning of 2000 to verify the current situation
concerning animal welfare.

C 225 E/148

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

The Commission has furthermore recently received a number of complaints from animal welfare
organisations alleging that the provisions of Council Directive 93/119/EC are still being breached at a
number of Greek slaughterhouses. The Commission takes the view that the complaints that it has received
are, at least partially, corroborated by the missions mentioned above.

The Commission recently opened infringement proceedings against Greece in respect of breaches of the
above-mentioned Directive.

(1) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993.
(2) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.

(2000/C 225 E/161)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2494/99

by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Protection of wild salmon stocks in the Tornionjoki (Torne(cid:228)lv) river

In 1996 the Finnish government issued an important fishing regulation on the protection of wild salmon
stocks in the Baltic, which sought to protect the access of the salmon to their spawning grounds. The
natural increase of salmon improved significantly for a time in the Tornionjoki (Torne(cid:228)lv) and Simojoki
rivers. In 1998 restrictions on open sea fishing were relaxed and salmon catches in the Tornionjoki
collapsed to half the previous year(cid:146)s level.

The protection and reproduction of salmon stocks were affected not only by the relaxation of protection
measures regarding sea fishing but also by the fact that exceptional licences needed to be obtained to catch
whitefish in the sea area round the Tornionjoki estuary granted during the period of the ban on salmon
fishing. A particularly large number of salmon heading upstream are caught in the nets intended for
whitefish. Other major problems are the years of overfishing for salmon in sea areas, the problems of
monitoring fisheries, and the differing points of view of the Finnish and Swedish fisheries authorities as
regards fishing and protection measures.

The wild salmon in the Baltic Sea area is on the EU list of endangered species and the genetic diversity of
wild salmon stocks has been reduced as a result of long-term overfishing. What concrete measures does
the Commission propose to take to save the threatened wild salmon stocks in the Baltic? Is the
Commission prepared to intervene to prevent illegal sea fishing if the Finnish Government does not do so?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 2000)

The Commission has taken note of the positive signs for the Baltic salmon. In February 1997 the
International Baltic Sea fisheries commission (IBSFC) adopted a salmon action plan (SAP). The objectives
in this action plan are to achieve a natural production of at least 50 % of the potential capacity of all wild
salmon rivers, to undertake habitat improvement and to re-establish salmon in potential salmon rivers. The
plan has been complemented with national measures such as closed areas and time restrictions of fishing.

The International council for the exploration of sea (ICES) has confirmed that the management actions
taken have resulted in a considerable increase in the numbers of wild salmon returning to home rivers.
The higher numbers of wild salmon spawning in the rivers have resulted in increased production of wild
smolt (juvenile salmon).

The same improvement has not been observed in all salmon rivers. However in the case of the Torne(cid:229)
river the increase has been very large and ICES reports that salmon occur in parts of the river for the first
time since the Second World War. According to ICES and to national sources the production in river
Torne(cid:229) has not collapsed; on the contrary, in 1998 the production was among the highest observed since
the early 1970(cid:146)s. Although a reduction in production was observed in 1999, production is still very good