WRITTEN QUESTION E-3815/00 by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Council. Pigs Directive.
Date: 2000-12-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, animal welfare, intensive livestock farming, livestock farming, national implementing measure, protection of animals, swine

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/57

Does the Commission agree that too many sows spend nearly all their adult lives pregnant and in sow
stalls?

Does the Commission further agree that minimum humane pig farming standards should include adequate
space, the provision of straw, an alternative to tail docking, and an end to castration?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 February 2001)

The Commission has adopted a report on the situation of intensive pig farming in the Community and the
proposal to amend Directive 91/630/EEC with a view to improving the welfare conditions of pigs (1). The
report and the proposal were transmitted to the Council and to the Parliament on 29 January 2001.

The Commission proposal addresses the following aspects: the rules for keeping sows in social groups
thereby providing them with more living-space, the rules for the proper enrichment of the environment
and improvements in the quality of flooring surfaces, and the prohibition for the worst types of routine
mutilations.

As mentioned by the Honourable Member information is available to the Commission confirming that in
recent years five Member States have adopted legislation for the protection of pigs providing for additional
measures beyond those required under Council Directive 91/630/EEC.

To ensure proper enforcement of the Community animal welfare legislation on pig farming, inspections by
the Food and Veterinary Office are carried out and infringement procedures against Member States which
fail to implement the rules are actively pursued.

The Sapard plan for Poland (2000-2006) provides a total Community contribution amount of
€ 205 170 000 for investments in agricultural holdings. This may be allocated to farmers who carry out
pig production based on 100-250 stands for fattening pigs, or 10-25 sows in cases of closed loop
production, if the farms fulfil Community hygiene and animal welfare standards.

(1) COM(2001) 20 final.

(2001/C 187 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3815/00

by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Council

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Pigs Directive

Is the Council aware that the Pigs Directive was supposed to be implemented from 1991 but that, to date,
only the United Kingdom and Sweden have implemented its provisions for the welfare of pigs, while
Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands plan to do so?

When will non-complying Member States bring forward appropriate legislation?

Reply

(24 April 2001)

On 19 November 1991 the Council adopted Directive 91/630/EEC laying down minimum standards for
the protection of pigs confined for the purposes of rearing and fattening.

C 187 E/58

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Under Article 11 of the Directive, Member States must bring into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive not later than 1 January 1994 and must
forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

Beyond those legislative references, it is not for the Council to monitor the implementation by the Member
States of its own acts, such competence having been devolved by the Treaty upon the Commission.

However, it should be pointed out that the Directive to which the Honourable Member refers is in the
process of being amended. On 16 January the Commission adopted a communication and an accompany-
ing proposal on the subject of pig welfare.

(2001/C 187 E/062)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3829/00

by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Linguistic minorities in the applicant countries

The studies produced by the EU on the applicant countries clearly show the need for greater and more
precise knowledge of their linguistic minorities.

How does the Commission intend to tackle this aspect, in order to persuade the applicant countries to
devote more specific attention to their linguistic as well as their ethnic minorities?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2001)

As of 1997, the Commission has regularly assessed progress made by the candidate countries in meeting
the criteria for membership laid down at the Copenhagen European Council,
including the political
criterion of (cid:145)stability of institutions guaranteeing, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the respect
for and protection of minorities(cid:146). The Commission has first done so in its 1997 Opinions, and
subsequently in the Regular Reports that the Commission has adopted in the autumn of respectively
1998, 1999 and 2000.

The political criterion laid down by the Copenhagen European Council makes no distinction between the
various elements that may make up the identity of persons belonging to a minority, be it their ethnic,
cultural, linguistic or religious heritage. In assessing progress made by the candidate countries in ensuring
respect for and the protection of minorities, the Commission devotes particular attention to the respect for,
and the implementation of, the various principles laid down in the Council of Europe Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities,
including those related to the use of minority
languages.

In order to help the candidate countries remedy the specific weaknesses and shortcomings identified in the
Regular Reports, the Community establishes an Accession Partnership for each of the candidate coun-
tries (1). These Accession Partnerships put forward short and medium-term priorities for each country to
fulfil the accession criteria. They also indicate the financial assistance available from the Community in
support of these priorities and the conditions attached to that assistance.

The regular assessment of progress made by the candidate countries in meeting the requirements set by the
Copenhagen political criteria, supported by the Accession Partnerships, has led to positive developments in
all candidate countries, also as regards respect for minority rights and the protection of minorities,
including the use of minority languages. The Commission continues its work in this direction.

(1) COM(1999) 521 final to 532 final.