WRITTEN QUESTION P-0758/01 by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU slaughtering programme to alleviate the beef market.
Date: 2001-03-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, award of contract, beef, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, health legislation, market support, slaughter of animals, transport price, veterinary inspection

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/191

In view of the provisions of Regulation (EC) 2826/2000 (1) on information and promotion actions for
agricultural products on the internal market, school fruit programmes could be included amongst actions
focusing on nutritional and health aspects. Does the Commission consider that school fruit comes within
the scope of this definition?

Is it prepared to release money for the school fruit programme under the support scheme for promotional
measures?

(1) OJ L 328, 23.12.2000, p. 2.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 April 2001)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that under Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC)
No 2826/2000 of 19 December 2000 on information and promotion actions for agricultural products on
the internal market (1), the sectors or products which can be the subject of information or promotion
inter alia, the desirability of drawing attention to the
measures are determined taking into account,
nutritional and health value of
thematic or target-specific
campaigns.

the products in question, by means of

The desirability of Community measures in favour of
fruit consumption in schools will shortly be
discussed in connection with the detailed rules for applying that Regulation, which are to be adopted by
the Commission in accordance with the management committee procedure.

The Commission will keep the Honourable Member informed of the outcome of these discussions.

(1) OJ L 328, 23.12.2000.

(2001/C 261 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0758/01

by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 March 2001)

Subject: EU slaughtering programme to alleviate the beef market

As part of the EU programme to support the beef market, 400 000 cattle over 30 months old are to be
purchased, slaughtered and incinerated in Germany, including 12 000 in the Rhineland-Palatinate. 314
German abattoirs can apply for the tender to slaughter published by the Federal Ministry for Consumer
Protection, Agriculture and Food in the Federal Gazette if they are in a position to slaughter 40 cows per
hour. The (cid:145)stringent conditions(cid:146) in the EU regulation are said to be the reason for this. According to one of
the largest abbatoirs in the Rhineland-Palatinate it is not possible to slaughter 40 cows per hour because of
the delay caused by the brain samples that need to be taken for BSE testing. The result would therefore be
cattle having to be transported to abattoirs capable of providing the appropriate capacity. However,
transport costs for farmers and needlessly long transport times for livestock are supposed to be avoided.

The Commission is therefore asked to indicate:

1. What exact form do the (cid:145)stringent conditions(cid:146) take that result in 40 cows needing to be slaughtered

per hour and how restrictively are these conditions implemented?

2. How does it justify these conditions and does it regard them as indispensable in the light of the above

difficulties?

3. What scope does it see for counteracting specific problems of implementation?

C 261 E/192

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.9.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2777/2000 of 18 December 2000 adopting exceptional support mea-
sures for the beef market (1) does not specify any particular type of slaughterhouse in terms of slaughtering
capacity. Article 7 of the Regulation provides nevertheless that Member States shall adopt all measures
necessary to ensure proper application of the scheme, in particular compliance with the provisions of its
Article 5.

According to information from the German authorities the minimum slaughter capacity per slaughter-
house was established as a consequence of the limited staff available with short notice for the on-the-spot
control operations. Nevertheless, the selected participating slaughterhouses are geographically covering the
main beef producing areas in Germany thereby guaranteeing a reasonable distance for transport of the
animals.

(1) OJ L 321, 19.12.2000.

(2001/C 261 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0760/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Commission inspectors(cid:146) investigation of BSE in Greece

(7 March 2001)

From 12 to 16 February, Commission veterinary inspectors conducted inquiries in Greece into the
implementation of measures concerning BSE.

In the light of the inspectors(cid:146) report, will the Commission say:

1. whether adequate checks are carried out on cattle to detect the disease,

2. whether the measures to protect cattle from BSE are observed, and

3.

under what conditions cattle are fed and slaughtered, and, in particular, what the situation is in Greek
slaughterhouses and to what extent the criteria laid down by Community law are fulfilled?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2001)

The aim of the Commission(cid:146)s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) mission to Greece from 12 to 16 February
2001 was to assess the monitoring measures introduced for the prevention of bovine spongiform
encephalopathy.

In accordance with Commission Decision 98/139/EC of 4 February 1998 laying down certain detailed
rules concerning on-the-spot checks carried out in the veterinary field by Commission experts in the
Member States (1), internal FVO procedures stipulate that a draft mission report drawn up by the FVO
within 20 working days must be sent to the authorities of the Member State visited; the authorities must
then reply to the FVO within 25 working days of receipt of the Greek version of the report. The FVO will
not be able to publish the final report until this procedure has ended.

The final report of the mission should be completed by mid-May 2001 at the latest. In line with normal
procedure, the report will be sent by the Commission to Parliament and published on the Internet.
Independently of this report, the Commission has repeatedly called on all Member States to ensure full
implementation and respect of Community legislation on BSE.

(1) OJ L 38, 12.2.1998.