WRITTEN QUESTION P-3360/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Conditions in Greek slaughterhouses.
Date: 2000-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, European social policy, Greece, Peloponnese, application of EU law, meat processing industry

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

study on the possibility of negotiating a stabilisation and association agreement, the Council concluded on
24 January 2000 that Albania needed first
to resolve certain economic, political and institutional
weaknesses. Since adaptation to the structures of the Union is a strategic goal for the government in
Tirana, the Union has considerable leverage to help improve the situation of minorities in Albania. The
Albanian authorities are certainly aware of this.

4. Moreover, in the Final Declaration of the Zagreb Summit, which brought together the EU and the
Western Balkan countries on 24 November, Albania undertook to respect the rights of persons belonging
to minority groups. In Zagreb the Union announced its decision to step up cooperation with Albania and
to specify what reforms needed to be carried out. The Council has set up an EU-Albania high-level steering
group which will assess progress, recommend the necessary reform measures and provide advice and
guidance in all areas of concern set out in the 1999 Commission feasibility report, namely macro-
economic stabilisation and accelerated structural reforms, strengthening of security and public order and
improvement of governance and law enforcement (such as public administration reform, judiciary, rule of
law and respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities). The group may look at any other
issue relevant to the stabilisation and association process. The Council will thus be able to monitor closely
the Albanian government(cid:146)s implementation of concrete measures in these areas.

The European Community spent € 18,8 million between 1993 and 1999 on financing democratisa-

5.
tion and human rights projects in Albania or in a regional framework encompassing Albania.

6.
However, in a Presidency declaration on behalf of the European Union of 1 December 2000, it was
pointed out that the European Union sees the increasing use of violence in the pursuit of political aims as
a worrying development. The European Union therefore made a forceful appeal for the rule of law to be
respected and made any movement by Albania towards a closer relationship with the European Union
dependent on respect for institutions and legality, non-recourse to violence and a spirit of tolerance and
dialogue.

(2001/C 174 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3360/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 October 2000)

Subject: Conditions in Greek slaughterhouses

On 1 October 2000, three slaughterhouses in the Greek province of Achaia, which did not meet the
required hygiene standards, were closed by order of the Commission. In view of the role played by
slaughterhouses in food hygiene and consumer health, will the Commission state to what extent it is
satisfied with the progress made in modernising slaughterhouses in Greece, and its view, in general, of
developments in this sector for which it also provides funding? What sum was approved for the
modernisation of slaughterhouses, how much has been disbursed, and what results have been achieved?

Can the Commission also say to what extent Greece complies with the following directives:

(cid:129) 93/118 (1) and 96/43 (2) on the financing of health inspections and controls of fresh meat and

poultrymeat,

(cid:129) 97/12 (3) on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine,

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(cid:129) 97/76 (4) with regard to the rules applicable to minced meat, meat preparations and certain other

products of animal origin,

(cid:129) 97/78 (5) and 97/79 (6) laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on

products entering the Community from third countries.

Has Greece taken implementing measures to comply with each of the above directives? If so, does it apply
them correctly? If not, has the procedure for infringement of Community law been initiated and what stage
has it reached in respect of each of the above directives separately?

(1) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 15.
(2) OJ L 162, 1.7.1996, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 109, 25.4.1997, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 10, 16.1.1998, p. 25.
(5) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9.
(6) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

The Commission(cid:146)s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carries out regular inspections in the Member States
in order, inter alia, to verify compliance with Community health regulations governing slaughterhouses.

An inspection visit to poultry slaughterhouses in Greece revealed shortcomings in this connection. The
FVO subsequently inspected Greek pig, beef and veal slaughterhouses in September 2000. The Commis-
sion will decide what action to take to ensure the correct application of Community law in the light of the
corresponding report, which is currently being finalised.

The Commission closely monitors the transposition of Community Directives into national law, particu-
larly in the veterinary field. Greece(cid:146)s failure to notify national implementing measures in respect of the
directives referred to by the Honourable Member led it to initiate infringement procedures under Article
226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty. The procedures covering Directives 97/76/EC and 97/78/EC, which
had reached the reasoned opinion stage, were discontinued after the Greek authorities took appropriate
transposing action, but those in respect of Directives 97/12/EC (formal notice in 2000) and 97/79/EC
(reasoned opinion in 2000) are still in progress. In the case of Directives 93/118/EC and 96/43/EC, the
Commission was obliged to initiate infringement procedures pursuant to Article 228, owing to Greece(cid:146)s
non-compliance with Court judgments delivered in 1998 and 1999. These are currently at the reasoned
opinion and formal notice stages respectively.

One of the principal objectives of EU funding for slaughterhouse modernisation is, of course, to ensure
conformity with Community health standards. According to the Commission(cid:146)s information, total aid for
(cid:145)meat(cid:146) slaughterhouses to the end of 1999 under Council Regulation (EC) No 951/97 of 20 May 1997 on
improving the processing and marketing conditions for agricultural products (1) was €36,8 million, of
which the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) (Guidance Section) contributed
€17,8 million for the corresponding programming period (1994-1999). By September 2000, 28 of the
100 slaughterhouses targeted had been modernised, representing a 28 % success rate (in terms of project
completion). This is obviously a disappointing outcome, particularly in view of the overall weighted
average processing and marketing results for Greek agricultural products under the aforementioned
regulation and especially as operations and payments may extend into 2001.

Consequently, whilst recognising that the special nature of this sector inevitably makes investment in
slaughterhouse modernisation a slow and relatively difficult undertaking, the Commission considers that
Greece is significantly behind in this process.

(1) OJ L 142, 2.6.1997.