WRITTEN QUESTION P-3574/00 by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Report on animal welfare required under Council Directive 98/58.
Date: 2000-11-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal welfare, fishery product, fresh meat, intensive livestock farming, live animal, poultry, protection of animals, slaughter of animals, trade restriction, transport of animals

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/167

(2001/C 163 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3574/00

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 November 2000)

Subject: Report on animal welfare required under Council Directive 98/58

Article 8 of Council Directive 98/58 (1) concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes
requires the Commission, before 30 June 1999, to submit to the Council a report relating to the impact on
farm animal welfare of the World Trade Organisation rules.

In reply to Written Question P-2539/99 (2) on 27 January 2000 the Commission stated that the report
would be presented to the Council shortly. As the negotiations on the WTO Agreement on Agriculture
have now begun, does the Commission agree that this report is essential to assist in developing the EU(cid:146)s
negotiating position and that it could also play an important role in persuading other WTO members that
in raising animal welfare issues the EC is not attempting to introduce new types of non-tariff barriers?

In the light of this, when does the Commission intend to submit to the Council the report required by
Directive 98/58?

(1) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23.
(2) OJ C 219 E, 1.8.2000, p. 178.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2001)

Council Directive 98/58/EC of 29 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming
purposes, Article 8, obliges the Commission to submit a report to the Council on the comparison of
animal welfare provisions in the Community and in third countries.

The Commission has received information on available legislation or guidelines in the field of animal
protection on the farm, during transport and at the time of slaughtering from 73 third countries who
supply the Community with red meat, poultry meat, fishery products and live animals. The Commission
intends to adopt the report in the first half of 2001.

The Honourable Member may be reassured that the Commission has made clear in the course of the
ongoing negotiations on the World trade organisation (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture that in raising
animal welfare issues the Community is not attempting to introduce new types of non-tariff barriers. The
Commission also agrees that the forthcoming report will contribute significantly to the WTO debate on
animal welfare issues. The Commission underlines the strong ethical component to this debate, which
should not be limited to technical considerations.

(2001/C 163 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3575/00

by Yves PiØtrasanta (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 November 2000)

Subject: Food poisoning in Barcelona

Lestonac School in Barcelona has been hit by an outbreak of food poisoning, caused by contaminated
meat, which began on 2 October, and affected over 150 pupils.

Is the Commission aware of this incident?