WRITTEN QUESTION E-0257/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Intergovernmental Conference.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, majority voting, revision of the Treaty (EU)

C 280 E/204

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

The booklet was developed after repeated requests from teachers for simple factual material about the
Community and its Member States, for teaching purposes and in line with national curriculum require-
ments.

In anticipation of demand, one million copies were printed. Since publication in June 1998, 460 000 copies
of the booklet have been requested by primary school teachers, public libraries, local education authorities
and European resource centres for schools in the United Kingdom. Orders continue to be received on a
regular basis for several thousand copies a month.

(2000/C 280 E/240)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0257/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Intergovernmental Conference

Can the Commission list those areas where it would like to see an extension of qualified majority voting at
the next Intergovernmental Conference?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2000)

As it made clear in its Opinion adopted on 26 January 2000 (1), the Commission believes that, apart from
cases where the Council decides by simple majority, decision-making by qualified majority should be the
general rule in the Council, and insistence on unanimity the exception. In Annex 1 to the Opinion the
Commission listed the provisions of the EC Treaty that might remain subject to unanimity on the grounds
that serious and lasting reasons justify departing from the general rule. Annex 2 to the Opinion lists the
provisions of the EC Treaty which would then be subject to qualified majority voting in the Council.

(1) Adapting the institutions to make a success of enlargement. Commission Opinion in accordance with Article 48 of
the Treaty on European Union on the calling of a Conference of Representatives of the Governments of the
Member States to amend the Treaties (cid:129) COM(00) 34 final.

(2000/C 280 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0261/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(2 February 2000)

Subject: Slaughter of animals at Eid-el-Kabir

Each year tens of thousands of sheep are religiously slaughtered outdoors in France at the Eid-el-Kabir
festival. This is in breach of Council Directive 93/119/EC (1) on the protection of animals at the time of
slaughter or killing, which specifically prohibits outdoor religious slaughter.

Film footage supplied to the Commission by animal welfare organisation shows not only that the slaughter
takes place outdoors but also that the sheep are often roughly and cruelly treated prior to slaughter. They
are dragged by one front leg, carried upside down, carted in wheelbarrows and often have their front and
back legs tied together. All this is in breach of Article 3 of Council Directive 93/119.

What steps does the Commission propose to take to ensure that EU law is observed at this year(cid:146)s
Eid-el-Kabir festival? Does the Commission intend to issue infringement proceedings against France under
Article 226 in respect of its failure to enforce Council Directive 93/119 in its territory?

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