WRITTEN QUESTION E-0812/01 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Black market in domestic animals in the EU.
Date: 2001-03-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common commercial policy, domestic animal, illicit trade, veterinary inspection, veterinary legislation

C 340 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

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

(6 June 2001)

Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework
for Community action in the field of water policy (1), hereafter Water Framework Directive, entered into
force on the 22 of December 2000. The Directive has a timetable for the implementation of the different
requirements. For example, an analysis of the conditions in the river basin and the pressures on the waters
within the river basin should be performed within four years after the entering into force of the Directive;
a monitoring programme according to the Directive should be followed within six years; and, a programme
of measures, that will make it possible to reach the objectives of the Directive, should be adopted within
nine years. The full implementation of all the requirements of the Directive will therefore take several
years. In areas where necessary, the use of water, fertilisers and other chemical substances on golf courses
has to be taken into account when the different requirements according to the Directive are performed. It
is a challenge to implement the requirements, however they are essential in order to achieve a good status
in all waters of the Community.

It is every Member States(cid:146) obligation to properly implement the different steps of the Directive. The
Commission will follow the implementation process in the Member States in order to achieve an efficient
and streamlined implementation of the Directive in the whole of the Community. The Commission will
follow the timetable of
the Directive when examining the Member States(cid:146) compliance with the
requirements of the Water Framework Directive.

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.

(2001/C 340 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0812/01

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Black market in domestic animals in the EU

(19 March 2001)

The black market in domestic animals in and between Community states is unregulated and does not
provide any health guarantees for animals or buyers. In the autonomous community of Valencia, the
association of domestic animal breeders and traders (Grecoacom) reported recently that 70 % of sales of
domestic animals are carried out illegally in the face of inaction by the Generalitat, the competent
Valencian authority.

The majority of the animals sold on the black market are subject neither to health controls nor to the
compulsory delousing procedures, and are reared in premises that are unsuited to their physical needs.

Clearly, there is a gap in legislation in this area at European Union level. While existing Community
legislation regulates the transport of domestic animals between countries, their use in cosmetic testing and
the trade in exotic animals, there are no legal provisions that could be used to eliminate the black market
in the domestic animals sector, such as exists in Valencia.

Does the Commission intend to draw up a directive on the conditions of sale and health controls for
domestic animals in the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 2001)

Intra-Community trade in domestic animals falls within the scope of different veterinary legislation as
defined in Annex A to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and
zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view
to the completion of the internal market (1).

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/101

This Community legislation provides for veterinary controls for these animals when submitted to intra-
Community trade and sales.

Day to day enforcement of the veterinary legislation is the responsibility of the Member States. Black
markets are by definition illegal under national provisions. Consequently, the Commission has no intention
to undertake additional legislative initiatives in this domain.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.

(2001/C 340 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0817/01

by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Situation of children in Romania

The situation of children in Romania is a matter of serious concern. A large number of reports show that
many Romanian children and adolescents are the victims of daily violence and abuse. Of particular
concern is the situation of orphans, who live abandoned in the streets of Bucharest and Timisoara, or in
prison-like conditions in orphanages.

Many of these children also suffer from AIDS and the Romanian public services are generally incapable of
covering the costs of complex medical treatment.

An equally unacceptable problem is the systematic exploitation of children by the local Rom population,
which is in some cases tantamount to slavery.

The Commission:

(cid:129) What action does it intend to take to improve the situation of Romanian children during the

enlargement process?

(cid:129) Has it received any pieces of convincing evidence relating to press revelations about alleged trafficking
in Romanian children for the benefit of child abuse networks operating in the European Union,
a traffic which is believed to include illegal exports of organs and in which certain international NGOs
operating in Romania are alleged to be implicated?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2001)

The Community has provided assistance to Romania since 1990, mainly through the PHARE Programme,
to address the delicate situation of children in institutions. In the early years humanitarian assistance (food
aid, supply of heating oil, medicines, repairs and maintenance of institutions) was predominant, in order to
remediate an emergency situation. However, current programmes are designed to address the structural
situation and to promote reform of Romania(cid:146)s childcare system.

The Commission and the Romanian authorities are in the process of implementing a € 25 million PHARE
programme to support the ongoing reform, which has the following components:

(cid:129) The creation and development of community integrated child welfare projects at local level, with

special emphasis on preventing child abandonment and institutionalisation.

(cid:129) Restructuring or closure of the old-style residential care institutions by providing alternative facilities/

services.

(cid:129) Technical assistance (using Member States(cid:146) expertise through (cid:145)twinning(cid:146),

the secondment of
national experts to the government of Romania) to facilitate co-operation between the Ministry of
Labour and Social Protection services (at central and local level) with childcare departments (at central

i.e.