WRITTEN QUESTION E-2737/00 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. WTO rules governing animal welfare.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, animal welfare, international law, livestock farming, production standard, protection of animals

C 163 E/6

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

Reply

(12 February 2001)

Article 6(1) of the Council(cid:146)s Rules of Procedure (1) states that (cid:145)the deliberations of the Council shall be
covered by the obligation of professional secrecy, except in so far as the Council decides otherwise(cid:146).
Article 8 of the Rules of Procedure provides for the holding of public debates in certain cases, while
Article 9 lays down rules enabling deliberations to be made public in many cases.

The Council is not in a position to speak for the (cid:145)other legislatives(cid:146) to which the Honourable Member
refers in his question, and would in any case remind him that it has a dual, legislative and governmental,
role which sets it apart from such other bodies.

Where the Council acts in its legislative capacity, the results of votes and explanations of votes by Council
members, as well as statements in the Council minutes, are to be made public. The same largely applies to
documents relating to decisions taken by the Council when acting in its legislative capacity. The public
register of Council documents, accessible via the Internet, makes it easy to identify the documents in
question and to submit an application for access under Council Decision 93/731/EC.

(1) OJ L 149, 23.6.2000, p. 21.

(2001/C 163 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2737/00

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: WTO rules governing animal welfare

What restrictions are placed on animal welfare as a result of agreements signed by the European Union
under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation, and what steps are being taken to ensure that farmers
within the European Union who improve animal welfare do not suffer commercial disadvantage as a result,
compared with farmers outside the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(17 October 2000)

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) does not prevent the Community from taking measures which are
seen as essential for animal welfare, i.e. adopting high standards within its borders. In the Community a
comprehensive set of legislation exists covering a wide range of issues relating to animal welfare. It is the
Commission(cid:146)s view that the Community should not unilaterally impose its welfare-based production
standards on third countries. The Community needs to respect other countries(cid:146) sovereignty and their
right to set their own national standards.

The Community tabled a paper on animal welfare at the last meeting of the WTO agricultural committee
at the end of June 2000 (1). In this paper, the objectives of the Community are clearly spelled out, namely
ensuring that trade does not undermine our efforts in improving the protection of the welfare of animals,
and avoiding trade protectionism.

The Community paper suggests several ways of addressing the issue in the WTO framework, which are
not mutually exclusive. These are the development of multilateral agreements, appropriate labelling,
accepting some sort of compensation to contribute to the additional costs.

The Community believes that detailed examination in the WTO of these approaches would allow the issue
of animal welfare to be addressed adequately within the WTO without conflicting with the long-term
objective of trade liberalisation in agricultural and food products.

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/7

According to Article 8 of Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of
animals kept for farming purposes (2), the Commission should submit a report to the Council on certain
provisions on the protection of farm animals in the Community and in third countries. This report will
include appropriate proposals for obtaining wider acceptance of the Community principles related to farm
animal welfare.

(1) Doc. G/AG/NG/W/19.
(2) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998.

(2001/C 163 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2746/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Information concerning the revision of Directive 90/220/EEC on genetically modified organisms

On Thursday, 13 July 2000, the Commission issued press release IP/00/778 which announced broader
access for genetically modified organisms (foodstuffs, seeds and pharmaceutical products) to the European
market.

Since the revision of Directive 90/220/EEC (1) is currently the subject of negotiations between the
1.
Council and the European Parliament, can the Commission indicate what authority it possesses to
anticipate the definitive adoption of the revised Directive, as is set out in the press report referred to
above?

2.
Can the Commission explain why it decided to release the press report immediately after the last
meeting of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy before the summer
recess?

3.
Does the Commission agree with me that the suspicion of a (cid:145)hi-jack(cid:146) is justified, since its aim appears
to be to try to avoid the possibility of a direct negative response from the Committee on the Environment,
Public Health and Consumer Policy?

4. Would the Commission agree with me that it would be better for the democratic process if the
Commission issued such announcements initially to selected MEPs instead of to journalists?

5.
Given that public opinion in the Member States is increasingly afraid that non-genetically-engineered
plants will be ousted and/or altered, with implications for public health which are incalculable, what is the
Commission(cid:146)s opinion of the room for manoeuvre which the governments of the Member States of the
European Union will have available to take account of that opinion, once the Commission plan has been
implemented?

To what extent is the Commission(cid:146)s plan influenced by pressure from the United States of America
6.
(comparable with what happened with respect to (cid:145)hormone-treated meat(cid:146) and (cid:145)hushkits(cid:146)) and by fears of a
trade boycott?

(1) OJ L 117, 8.5.1990, p. 15.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Deliberate release and placing on the market of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is covered by
Council Directive 90/220/EEC of 23 April 1990 that is currently under revision. Due to several factors no
authorisations have been granted for a certain time for the commercial release of GMOs. The different
options to overcome this situation were discussed at a meeting in the Commission on 12 July 2000. The
Commission, following its meeting, presented a strategy for an interim approach to restore confidence in
GMO approval process. This approach includes a proposal to apply the key provisions of the revised
directive on the release of GMOs in the environment to all new GMO approvals after agreement on its
content has been reached.