WRITTEN QUESTION E-1452/00 by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission. Distortions of competition on the Austrian livestock market.
Date: 2000-05-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Austria, State aid, domestic market, livestock, producer organisation, restriction on competition

C 81 E/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

How many farms in the other Member States were checked in the same year?

How many checks were carried out in the EU as a whole?

Were more farms checked in Austria than in the other Member States? What explanation does the
Commission have for this disparity?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(13 June 2000)

There are no specific Community provisions governing the arrangements for checks on products bearing
national quality labels such as the (cid:145)AMA-G(cid:252)tesiegel(cid:146). It is therefore up to the public authorities to use their
substantial powers for that purpose.

It follows that the Commission does not have the precise and exhaustive statistical data requested by the
Honourable Member relating to checks carried out in the other Member States. The Commission is
therefore unable to reach a valid judgment on whether there are differences or disparities within the
Community.

(2001/C 81 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1452/00

by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Distortions of competition on the Austrian livestock market

Since Austria(cid:146)s accession to the EU, national aid schemes have been used to support so-called producer
groups and unions of such groups on the Austrian livestock market.

The private livestock trade is excluded from these aid schemes,
agricultural products receives no aid if he does not belong to a producer group.

in other words a farmer producing

In these producer groups products are bought in wholesale prices and offered for sale below the calculated
wholesale price. The resulting loss is offset by the aid payments.

This disregard for standard commercial principles on the part of the producer groups makes it impossible
for the private livestock trade to sell its products on a fair, competitive market.

In the light of this situation, and the opinion delivered by the Federal Committee for the Private Livestock
Trade (which has been forwarded to DG D),
the following questions to the
Commission:

I should like to put

1. What measures does the Commission plan to take to combat this distortion of competition?

2.

If the Commission does not regard this as a breach of the principle of free competition, how does it
justify that standpoint?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

State aids to cover operating costs would normally not be compatible with Articles 87 and 88 (ex Arrticles
92 and 93) of the EC Treaty.

However, the Commission normally allows state aid for the starting up of producer associations if certain
conditions are met (1). The costs eligible for such support are the administrative start-up costs of the group
or association.

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/43

The Commission attaches great importance to investigating allegations that (illegal) state aids are being
paid. However, in order to do so it would need to have more information about the nature of the aids
which are being granted and about the L(cid:228)nder concerned.

(1) Point 10 of the Community guidelines for State aid in the agriculture sector (OJ C 28, 1.2.2000).

(2001/C 81 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1460/00

by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: The treatment of stray animals in Spain

(10 May 2000)

Is the Commission aware of the way in which stray animals in Catalonia (Spain) are caught and killed?

Does the Commission know that the capture of stray dogs, for example, has been contracted out to a
commercial organisation, which drugs the animals and burns them alive if they are not claimed within
eight to ten days?

Does the Commission not feel that stray domestic animals should be kept in animal shelters in Catalonia
as they are in most EU Member States?

Does the Commission know that Spain has not signed the Council of European convention for the
protection of domestic animals (1987)?

Is the Commission able to remind the Catalan regional government of its responsibility with regard to the
protection of domestic animals?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

The Commission is not aware of the way in which stray dogs are caught and killed in Spain. This is not an
area of Community competence.

The Commission shares the view that unnecessary suffering of animals should be avoided.

It is correct that Spain has not ratified the Council of Europe convention for the protection of domestic
animals.

Although the recent protocol on the protection and welfare of animals (1) called on the Community and
Member States to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals, no legal instrument is at present
available to the Commission to act in line with the Honourable Member(cid:146)s suggestion.

(1) OJ C 340, 10.11.1997.

(2001/C 81 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1470/00

by Alejandro Agag Longo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Internal reform of the Commission

(10 May 2000)

In connection with the internal reform of the Commission a number of senior appointments are being
made in apparent disregard for the principle of geographical balance. Has the Commission forgotten about