WRITTEN QUESTION E-3817/00 by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission. Transport of live animals.
Date: 2000-12-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, animal welfare, transport of animals

C 174 E/154

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

the Slovenian government comes in response to the action plan for short-term
The initiative of
improvements concerning the protection of animals during long-distance transport presented by the
Member of the Commission responsible for Health and Consumer Protection in May 2000 to all candidate
countries.

The action plan for short-term improvements for the protection of animals during long distance transport
was discussed at
the TAIEX (Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office) meeting of Chief
Veterinary Officers of the candidate countries in Lisbon in April 2000. It foresees enforcement in the
short term of key requirements of Community legislation on animal transport, notably for the transport of
horses.

The quick follow-up to the action plan was first announced by the Slovenian veterinary authorities at the
TAIEX seminar on the protection of animals during transport held in Bratislava in September 2000. The
TAIEX Office has developed programmes, i.e. training to raise awareness on animal health and welfare
issues, including the transport of animals, for the general public and in particular for veterinarians in the
candidate countries. TAIEX has also established a Working group of officials from all candidate countries
to assist the process of adoption and implementation of Community rules on animal welfare. The next
meeting of this group, scheduled for February 2001, will specifically deal with the implementation of rules
on the protection of animals during transport.

Furthermore, the Commission has also recently adopted a report (3) on the experience acquired by Member
States since the implementation of the Directive on the protection of animals during transport. The
document has been submitted to the Council and to the Parliament. Following the outcome of the report
the Commission will start to review the current legislation in order to continue to improve the situation.

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.
(2) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995.
(3) Report from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament on the experience acquired by Member States since
the implementation of Council Directive 95/29/EC amending Directive 91/628/EEC concerning the protection of
animals during transport, COM(2000) 809 final.

(2001/C 174 E/160)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3817/00

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Transport of live animals

How are the relevant Transport Directives being enforced with regard to the long distance transport of live
animals?

What is the European Commission doing to address the many representations it is receiving about the
cruelty and suffering involved in the transport of live animals?

What reports has the European Commission published on this subject since 1 January 1995?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(31 January 2001)

The Commissions refers the Honourable Member to the reply to the Written Question E-3809/00 by
Mr MacCormick (1).

It should be noted that the Commission has fulfilled its obligation in relation to Article 13(3) of Council
Directive 95/29/EC of 29 June 1995 amending Directive 90/628/EEC concerning the protection of animals
during transport (2) which provides the Commission to submit a report on the experience acquired by
Member States since the implementation of the Directive.

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/155

Following the outcome of the report the process of amendment of Council Directive 91/628/EC of
19 November 1991 as amended (3), on the protection of animals during transport will be initiated with a
particular consideration to improve the level of enforcement of Community legislation in this field.

(1) See page 150.
(2) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995.
(3) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.

(2001/C 174 E/161)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3823/00

by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: The Nordic Passport Union and Article 45 of the Schengen Convention

Will the Nordic Passport Union be undermined by Article 45 of the Schengen Convention which requires
all participating countries to ensure that all hotels, campsites, hostels and other overnight accommodation
register all foreign guests and require them to show valid papers?

In other words: will the Schengen Convention mean that Danish citizens, for example, will have to take
their passports to Sweden if they wished to stay overnight, thus changing the rules curently applying under
the Nordic Passport Union?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(22 January 2001)

According to Article 13 paragraph 3 of the Agreement concluded between the Council and Norway and
Iceland, that agreement does not affect co-operation in the framework of the Nordic Passport Union to the
extent that such co-operation is not contrary to and does not hinder this agreement.

the necessary measures in order

Article 45 paragraph 1(a) of the Schengen Convention foresees that (cid:145)the Contracting Parties undertake to
the managers of establishments providing
adopt
to ensure that
including nationals of the
accommodation or their agents see to it that aliens accommodated therein,
other Contracting parties and those of other Member States of the European Union (cid:133) personally complete
and sign registration forms and confirm their identity by producing a valid identity document(cid:146).

This article has been integrated into the framework of the Union as part of the provisions on police and
judicial cooperation (third pillar of the Union), by attributing Articles 34 and 30 paragraph 1 of the Treaty
on European Union as the legal basis (Council Decision 1999/436/Ceof 20 May 1999 determining, in
conformity with the relevant provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Community and the
Treaty on European Union, the legal basis for each of the provisions or decisions which constitute the
Schengen acquis (1)).

The provision cited only stipulates that the identity of persons shall be confirmed by producing a valid
identity document. It does not explain which identity document is intended. But in any case, it is not
explicitly stated that an identity card or passport is necessary.

Taking into account that Article 13 of the Agreement concluded between the Council and Norway and
Iceland, which stipulates that the co-operation in the framework of the Nordic Passport Union is not
affected to the extent that such co-operation is not contrary and does not hinder the agreement, the term
(cid:145)valid identity document(cid:146) of Article 45 can thus be interpreted in the way that documents until now
accepted by the Nordic countries to prove identity are sufficient for the purposes of Article 45 of the
Schengen Convention.

(1) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999.