WRITTEN QUESTION E-4094/00 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU action to prevent domesticated animal species from dying out.
Date: 2001-01-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF, agricultural production, aid to agriculture, biodiversity, livestock farming, protection of animals

C 187 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

in accordance with the principle of
The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that,
subsidiarity, the Member State lays down the arrangements for the actual allocation of this amount
among the various alternative sources of energy according to its own energy policy criteria.

(2001/C 187 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4094/00

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: EU action to prevent domesticated animal species from dying out

The world(cid:146)s population of farm animals is gradually declining. According to a report recently published by
the FAO, two species of domesticated animal die out each week. One EU Member State (Spain) is in the
worrying situation of having 69 species of domesticated animal at risk of dying out, 22 of which are in
a critical state.

The situation is a constant cause for concern since, according to the experts, the animals in question
display rich genetic diversity and the loss of genetic diversity makes species more vulnerable.

In view of this alarming situation, what action is the EU going to take in order to protect the species of
domesticated animal which are under threat of extinction, bearing in mind the fact that biodoversity is an
essential factor in the fight against diseases and pests?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 2001)

From 1993 and throughout the programming period which ended in 1999 the Commission approved
programmes to promote rearing farm animal breeds threatened with extinction in most Member States.
The programmes were designed to contribute towards achieving one of the agri-environmental objectives
referred to in Article 1(c) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June 1992 on agricultural
production methods compatible with the requirements of the protection of the environment and the
the countryside (1), namely to promote ways of using agricultural
land which are
maintenance of
compatible with protection and improvement of genetic diversity. The Community(cid:146)s effort on this matter
is continuing in the 2000-2006 period under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on
support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and
amending and repealing certain Regulations (2), which incorporates into a single regulatory instrument all
rural development support measures and also the objectives of Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92.

Under Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, and in particular the agri-environmental measures referred to in
Articles 22 to 24, support is to be granted to farmers who commit themselves for at least five years to
agricultural production methods designed to protect the environment and to maintain the countryside; that
support is also intended to promote genetic diversity. Article 13 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1750/
1999 of 23 July 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/
1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
(EAGGF) (3) provides for agri-environmental support in respect of commitments to rear local farm animal
breeds in danger of extinction. Most of the rural development programmes which Member States have
drawn up and which the Commission has approved for the 2000-2006 programming period provide for
agri-environmental premiums in respect of rearing local breeds threatened with extinction.

In view of the above, the Commission considers that it has already taken the steps needed to protect farm
animal breeds which are under threat.

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(3) OJ L 214, 13.8.1999.