WRITTEN QUESTION E-1362/00 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission. WTO and animal welfare.
Date: 2000-05-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, animal welfare, trade agreement (EU)

C 53 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

in view of the analyses already carried out jointly by the industry and the Commission (cid:129)
However,
particularly via several consultative groups such as the high-level group on the social dimension and on
employment within the information society, the Information Society Forum or the (cid:145)Global business
dialogue(cid:146), which, in particular, enable a contribution to be made by the operators in the field, there are
no plans at this stage to set up a further Committee of Wise Men. The aim is to avoid any overlapping and
duplicating of existing structures.

(2001/C 53 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1362/00

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: WTO and animal welfare

In 1999 the Community recognised the importance of trying to achieve reforms at the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) to reduce the detrimental impact of the WTO rules on attempts to secure improved
standards of animal welfare.

What steps does the Commission plan to take during the negotiations to revise the WTO Agreement on
Agriculture and during attempts to launch a new comprehensive WTO (cid:145)round(cid:146) to persuade the EU(cid:146)s WTO
partners that the EU(cid:146)s concerns about animal welfare are genuine and not protectionist in their aim?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

Nothing in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) prevents its members from taking measures which they
see as essential for animal welfare, i.e. adopting high standards, within its borders. Hence, the Community
issued legislation which gradually improved the animal welfare standards in the Community over the last
years. However, it is true that WTO rules do not permit its members to prohibit import of products on the
sole ground that they were produced according to different animal welfare rules. Any such measure by the
Community would certainly risk being seen by our trading partners as scarcely disguised protectionism.

For these reasons the objective of creating multilateral standards for animal welfare is one which the
Commission has recognised as worthwhile. Those standards, based on scientific advice, would also be the
best guarantee that animal welfare standards are not misused for protectionist purposes.

to ensure that

The Community sought
the issue of animal welfare was raised in the agriculture
negotiations on the WTO Millennium Round. Now that Seattle has failed to deliver a mandate for a
comprehensive round, the Commission will have to examine how to pursue its objectives regarding animal
welfare in the post-Seattle context. One thing is clear: the Commission(cid:146)s efforts to promote these objectives
in the WTO will continue.

(2001/C 53 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1363/00

by Marielle De Sarnez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Future of Kosovo

One year after the start of the war in Kosovo and the setting up of a European Agency for Reconstruction
for the Balkans, does the Commission intend to report on the resources placed at the disposal of the
agency and to present regular reports on action carried out by the later?