WRITTEN QUESTION P-3103/00 by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Developing countries and farm animal welfare.
Date: 2000-09-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal welfare, cooperation policy, developing countries, development aid, intensive livestock farming

C 136 E/184

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

The Fourth Protocol makes reference to experimental fisheries (article 9) with an undertaking by both
parties to promote them and with specific mention of deep sea species, snow crab and squid.

The internal distribution amongst Member States of fishing possibilities under a fisheries agreement is not
the subject of negotiations with the third country, but an internal matter to be resolved within the
Community.

On the issue of distribution of fishing possibilities, the Commission and the Council made the following
declaration in the context of
the debate on the Greenland Fourth Protocol negotiating directives:
fishing
(cid:145)The Council and the Commission will consider possible improvements of the utilisation of
possibilities, without prejudice to the principle of relative stability. With due regard to the requirements
of sustainable fisheries and within the framework of the principle of relative stability, they invite the
Member States concerned to envisage the possibility of transfer of non- or under-utilised quotas to other
Member States.(cid:146)

(2001/C 136 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3103/00

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: Developing countries and farm animal welfare

farm animals was one of

In its Answer of 16 June 2000 to Written Question P-1325/00 (1), the Commission acknowledged that the
welfare of
the factors that should be taken into account when framing
Community policy on agriculture in developing countries. Industrial livestock production not only results
in poor welfare for animals, but it is also detrimental to poverty reduction, as it undermines smallholder
farmers and can cause massive damage to the environment.

Does the Commission intend to devise a written policy on farm animal welfare:

(a)

to guide the Community when giving aid or advice to developing countries; and

(b)

to help the Community to use its influence with bodies such as the Food & Agriculture Organisation
and the World Bank in order to persuade them to take the welfare of farm animals into account when
giving advice and aid to developing countries?

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 45.

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2000)

As indicated in the Commission(cid:146)s answer of 16 June 2000 to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question
P-1325/00 (1), the Community(cid:146)s development aid does not support financially the creation or promotion of
industrial animal farming in developing countries, since the Community aims first at helping poor small
scale farmers.

the livestock, environment and development

the Food and
Being equally part of
agriculture organisation (FAO) and the World Bank are considering animal welfare issues jointly with the
Community. It is expected that the study to be carried out in Asia and Latin America (1), as well as other
works carried out by various organisations on the same subject, will give strategic guidance to both
national and international decision-makers.

initiative,

(LEAD)

Possible next steps will then be envisaged in the context of LEAD as co-ordination body.

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 45.