WRITTEN QUESTION E-2490/99 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission. Transport of live animals.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal welfare, complaint to the Commission, protection of animals, transport of animals, veterinary inspection

C 219 E/174

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.8.2000

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 2000)

In accordance with Article 11a(3) of Regulation (EC) No 894/97 as amended by Council Regulation (EC)
No 1239/98 of 8 June 1998 amending Regulation (EC) No 894/97 laying down certain technical measures
for the conservation of fishery resources (1), every vessel which used driftnets during the reference period
set in that Regulation must be taken into account when compliance with the 60 % percentage provided for
in paragraph 3 is checked.

The Commission has no information to suggest that the rules made explicit in the above Regulations have
been infringed. It should also be borne in mind that the article referred to provides for the use of driftnets
in tuna fishing to be abolished from 1 January 2002. The elimination of this form of gear is thus
guaranteed.

(1) OJ L 171, 17.6.1998.

(2000/C 219 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2490/99

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Transport of live animals

Article 13 of Council Directive 91/628/EC (1) as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EC (2) on the
protection of animals during transport requires the Commission to submit a report to the Council,
possibly accompanied by proposals, before 31 December 1999.

Does the Commission plan to submit the report by the due date and, if not, when does it intend to submit
it?

There is clear evidence that long journeys lead to very poor treatment and, in some cases, to high levels of
mortality of animals. In the light of this, will the Commission, when submitting proposals under Article 13
of Council Directive 91/628/EC, propose that the transport of live farm animals should, where practicable,
be replaced by a trade in meat and carcasses?

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 17.
(2) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995, p. 52.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2000)

The experience acquired by the Member States is the most valuable source of data concerning the
enforcement of Council Directive 95/29/CEE of 29 June 1995 amending Directive 91/628/EEC concerning
the protection of animals during transport. The reports that Member States submit to the Commission
every year, as provided in Article 8 of Directive 91/628/CE, represent
in fact the main source of
information regarding the enforcement of the provision concerning the protection of animals during
transport. The Commission has reminded all competent authorities to fulfil the provisions of Article 8.

The Commission(cid:146)s food and veterinary office has carried out inspections in different Member States
reporting on the situation in relation to the enforcement of Directive 91/628/CE. The Commission has
also received official complaints from non-governmental organisations in relation to problems encountered
in the enforcement of the Directive in Member States.

The report mentioned in Article 13 of the Directive will be presented as soon as possible, taking into
account appropriate consideration of all the above-mentioned information.

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/175

Meanwhile, a working group of the standing veterinary committee has been established in order to identify
the difficulties encountered by the authorities in enforcing Community legislation including the collation of
the information sent to the Commission by the Member States under Article 8 of the Directive.

Concerning the protection of animals during transport, Community legislation is drawn up on the basis of
the results of scientific research and practical knowledge, both of which indicate that animal transport is
feasible if specific conditions are met. Community animal welfare legislation is under continuous revision
in line with new scientific knowledge and practical experience in the field.

As recently underlined in the white paper on food safety, adopted on 12 January 2000, the Commission
attaches major importance to the issue of animal welfare.

(2000/C 219 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2512/99

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(22 December 1999)

Subject: Projects selected under the Culture 2000 programme

The Commission has selected 55 cultural projects under the Culture 2000 programme, for which over 6
million euros will be made available. Do any of those 55 projects relate to the year 2000 cultural capitals?

Of the experimental initiatives selected, five are projects to be implemented in Spain. What are those five
projects and has any of them anything to do with Santiago de Compostela?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2000)

With regard to Community cultural programmes, the Commission would remind the Honourable Member
that its objective is not to allocate specific aid to one Member State or another but to encourage cultural
cooperation by supporting in particular projects which have a European dimension and are carried out
under partnership arrangements.

The Commission received 410 applications in response to its call for applications (cid:145)for experimental
measures under the framework programme in support of culture(cid:146) published in the Official Journal (1). The
Commission selected 55 of these, following consultation of a committee of independent experts represent-
ing several cultural disciplines.

Only one of these projects relates to the European Cities of Culture. This is the (cid:145)Hotel Europa(cid:146) project,
whose main organiser is Intercult Production (Sweden) and co-organisers are the following associations:
Association de Gestion du Festival d(cid:146)Avignon, Bologna 2000, Verein Wiener Festwoche and Rotterdam
2001.

Four of the projects selected are organised mainly by a Spanish body: (cid:145)Electronic Map of European Venues(cid:146),
identity(cid:146), and
(cid:145)Pain (cid:129) a multidisciplinary and intercultural thematic study(cid:146),
(cid:145)Argonauts 2000(cid:146).

(cid:145)Globalisation and cultural

None of these projects has anything to do with Santiago de Compostela, which under the Raphael
programme received funding (under the heading of European laboratories) of EUR 150 000 in 1999 and
EUR 175 000 in 1998. Furthermore, in 1997, 1996, 1995, and 1994, Santiago de Compostela received
funding (under the heading of symbolic projects) of ECU 200 000 per year.

(1) OJ C 163, 10.6.1999.