WRITTEN QUESTION P-3467/00 by Robert Sturdy (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Legal levels of swine fever compensation.
Date: 2000-10-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United Kingdom, animal disease, common agricultural policy, control of State aid, swine

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/179

(2001/C 151 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3467/00

by Robert Sturdy (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 October 2000)

Subject: Legal levels of swine fever compensation

The Eastern Region of the United Kingdom is currently suffering a prolonged bout of Classical Swine Fever
(CSF). Pig producers with unaffected holdings within a certain range of an affected holding are in what is
known as an exclusion zone and are unable to market their pigs. When these stationary animals become
too large, they must be slaughtered on animal welfare grounds, with compensation available for producers
forced to take such action.

Can the Commission verify the statement made by a Commission official, Joachim Heine, to Robert Sturdy,
MEP, that the Commission could approve any UK proposal to compensate producers for an amount up to
the market value of each pig slaughtered on animal welfare grounds within the exclusion zone?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2000)

For the kind of measure addressed by the Honourable Member, state aid has to be assessed under
section 11.4 of the Community guidelines for state aid in the agriculture sector (1). This section lays
down the conditions for an aid for combating animal and plant health diseases to be compatible with these
guidelines and with Article 87(3)(c) (ex Article 92) of the EC Treaty. According to these rules, and subject
to all other requirements being fulfilled, compensation may be granted up to the normal value of animals
slaughtered. Overcompensation of the losses should, however, be excluded.

On 18 October 2000, the Commission approved the United Kingdom Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme
(state aid NN 95/2000).
It appeared from the analysis of the notification submitted by the British
authorities that the aid scheme fulfilled all the conditions described above and that it could benefit from
the derogation provided in Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty. As far as the compensation for the value of
pigs slaughtered on animal welfare grounds within the exclusion zone is concerned, the Commission
authorized flat rate compensations for pig producers of GBP 10 per pig for pigs in batches averaging 45
kilogram (kg) or less (liveweight), of GBP 30 per pig for pigs averaging between 46 kg and 100 kg per
batch, and of GBP 50 per pig in batches averaging over 100 kg per batch. These are the rates for which
the British authorities had sought approval.

(1) OJ C 28, 1.2.2000.

(2001/C 151 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3468/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: European shipbuilding industry

(30 October 2000)

The European Shipbuilders(cid:146) Association has lodged a formal complaint with the Commission against the
subsidies and unfair competition employed by South Korea in the shipbuilding industry.

Will the Commission say whether this complaint meets the requirements needed for it to be able to take
action against South Korea at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)?