WRITTEN QUESTION E-3709/00 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission. Commission mission carried out in Thailand concerning poultry meat.
Date: 2000-11-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Thailand, agricultural equipment, poultrymeat, slaughter of animals, technical standard, veterinary inspection

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/29

(2001/C 187 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3699/00

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Porpoise by-catches

It appears from its answer of 16 October 2000 to my Question E-2584/00 (1) that (cid:145)In general, very few
facts on population dynamics and by-catch issues [influence?] on the harbour porpoise are known to the
Commission(cid:146).

Will the Commission then review the Ascobans assessment of the situation of porpoises in the North Sea
and the Baltic respectively?

Will the Commission also describe its cooperation with Ascobans and indicate whether it sits in as an
observer at the meetings of the Ascobans Advisory Committee?

(1) OJ C 113 E, 18.4.2001, p. 125.

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

(1 February 2001)

The lack of information about this species is a regrettable situation that the Commission shares with the
scientific community. Therefore, it is not surprising that even highly specialised bodies such the Agreement
on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (Ascobans), continue to call for new
researches on the subject.

The Commission welcomes all the efforts to maintain at a favourable status of conservation the species
listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive, as it is the case for all cetaceans the Commission regularly
meets regional environmental organisations to exchange views and information. A meeting with repre-
sentatives of Ascobans was scheduled on 8 December 2000 but, due to unforeseen circumstances, it has
had to be postponed.

As for the participation at Ascobans(cid:146) work, the Community is what the agreement(cid:146)s text calls (cid:145)regional
economic integration organisation(cid:146) and therefore is qualified to send observers to the meetings.

Until now, the Community has signed up the Final Act of the meeting at which the text of the Agreement
was adopted and the Agreement itself. However, the latter is not yet ratified. Taking into account the
current workload of the Commission and its shortage of human resources, the participation at Ascobans
meetings is decided on a case by case basis.

(2001/C 187 E/030)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3709/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Commission mission carried out in Thailand concerning poultry meat

The Commission has published a report of a mission carried out by its Food and Veterinary Office in
Thailand from 6 to 17 December 1999 concerning the production of poultry meat (DG (SANCO)/1214/
1999-MR Final). Paragraph 3.6.3. states that the handling in the slaughterhouse of crates containing live
birds and the unloading of the crates and the hanging of the birds on the shackle line was done carefully.
However, the paragraph then states that the stunning equipment was (cid:145)not properly adjusted in most of the
establishments(cid:146) and that the central competent authority (cid:145)did not define the electrical parameters to be used
for stunning(cid:146). Paragraph 5.6 states that there should be more detailed supervision of stunning.

C 187 E/30

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Would the Commission explain in what way the stunning equipment was not properly adjusted? What
steps is the Commission taking to urge the central competent authority of Thailand to remedy the
deficiencies in respect of stunning referred to in the Commission(cid:146)s report?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(28 February 2001)

Particular attention is paid to the stunning of poultry slaughtered for human consumption during the
missions carried out by the Food and Veterinary Office of the Commission. Such missions have been
carried out in all the Member States and a number of third countries. Deficiencies have quite often been
noted, which can be categorised as follows: deficiencies in supervision; deficiencies in construction of the
water stunner (too short, too wide, wrong direction of dueflow, etc.); deficiencies in adjustment (too low
amperage, no indicator for the amperage, only for voltage).

As the Honourable Member quite correctly states, those deficiencies were noted during the mission to
Thailand (6-17 December 1999).

The management of the different establishments have reacted immediately, sometimes overnight,
in
adjusting or even repairing the stunning equipment, or if that was not possible, by ordering new stunning
information was received on action taken during the period of the mission in
equipment. Moreover,
relation to training and advice to competent staff.

The competent authority of Thailand has informed the Commission, following the mission, that the
electrical parameters for stunning of the different species have now been defined officially and a more
detailed supervision during the time of operation of the establishment has been implemented. It is the
Commission(cid:146)s intention to check these assurances during a future follow up mission to Thailand.

(2001/C 187 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3712/00

by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 November 2000)

Subject: Impact on Carrascosa de Henares of the road being built between GU-177 and Jadraque

The Castilla-La Mancha Government has given its technical approval to the scheme to upgrade the road
link between GU-177 and Jadraque in Guadalajara, which is already underway. ERDF funds are being used
for this scheme, whose environmental impact on the Carrascosa de Henares locality is proving consider-
able. The entirely new road under construction, has buried the only good quality springs left in the area,
feeding the River Henares aquifer, under a veritable mountain of earth. The destruction of these springs
directly affects the (cid:145)Ribera del rio Henares(cid:146) protected area, where the water flow is being severely reduced
thanks to the disappearance of these aquifers. This area was put forward as an area of Community interest
(ES424003) by the Castilla-La Mancha Government for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. The
destruction of the springs is also causing the loss of flora of major ecological
interest, particularly
centuries-old Holm oaks in the midst of unirrigated farming land; this represents significant deforestation
and has grave implications both in terms of loss of habitat for local species and the destruction of the
natural beauty of the landscape.

There was a much cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative to the scheme, which was to upgrade
the existing flat, straight road, which had no obstacles in its path. Moreover, the road now being built was
not the subject of an environmental impact assessment in keeping with Directives 85/337/EEC (1) and
97/11/EEC (2), despite the fact that it falls squarely under the heading of the type of projects and the
criteria set out in the annexes to these Directives. Environmental impact assessment is also covered by
both Spanish state legislation on roads (Ley de Carreteras 25/1988, of 29 July), and the laws of the
Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha (Ley de Carreteras y Caminos de Castilla-La Mancha,
No 9/1990 of 28 December).