WRITTEN QUESTION P-1067/01 by Claude Turmes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Infringement of EU directive 95/29/EC by Netherlands transporters of animals.
Date: 2001-03-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Luxembourg, Netherlands, infringement of EU law, transport of animals, veterinary inspection

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/195

(2001/C 318 E/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1067/01

by Claude Turmes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 March 2001)

Subject: Infringement of EU directive 95/29/EC by Netherlands transporters of animals

What action does the Commission intend to take in response to the fact that Netherlands transporters of
animals inspected on Luxembourg territory are frequently found to violate EU Directive 95/29/EC (1) on
the transport of animals with regard to loading densities and the state of health of the animals carried
(according to the Luxembourg customs authorities, the twelve most serious infringements of the law in
respect of the transportation of animals in 2000 were committed by Netherlands transporters)?

In particular, the Commission has been notified of a Netherlands transporter, VAEX, which has repeatedly
drawn attention to itself for systematically infringing EU Directive 95/29/EC on Luxembourg territory.
Have, in this case, all of the possibilities afforded by mutual assistance under Article 18 of the directive
been exhausted by the Commission and the two Member States, the Netherlands and Luxembourg?

Why has the European Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) not carried out an inspection of national control
structures in respect of the transportation of animals in the Netherlands and Denmark (Commission report
of December 2000 concerning implementation of
transport of animals
(COM(2000) 809), although the two countries in question are among the principal exporting countries
for live pigs?

the directive on the

(1) OJ L 148, 30.6.1995, p. 52.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2001)

The Commission is aware that the Luxembourg authorities carry out, as required by Article 8 of Council
Directive 91/628/EEC on the protection of animals during transport (1) as amended by Directive 95/29,
checks on the compliance with the rules of the Directive by livestock transporters using roads in
Luxembourg. The Commission has been informed by the Luxembourg authorities of a number of incidents
where Netherlands transporters have been found to be in breach of certain obligations under the Directive,
notably in respect of failing to respect the correct loading densities.

In respect of a recent

The Commission has intervened on a number of occasions with the Netherlands authorities about the
matter.
the Netherlands authorities have admitted that an official
veterinarian in the Netherlands responsible for loading controls did on one occasion allow more animals
than permitted to be loaded. The Netherlands authorities have stated that following this incident official
veterinarians have been reminded of the correct procedures to follow. The Netherlands authorities have
also indicated that on another occasion a transporter may have illicitly placed further animals on a lorry
after official controls were completed.

incident

The Netherlands authorities have also accepted in principle that some of the facts recently brought to their
notice could justify withdrawal or suspension of licences in accordance with Article 12 of the Directive.
However, it appears that to be able to proceed this far the Netherlands authorities would require official
documentary evidence relating to the infringements. So far those authorities have not indicated precisely to
the Commission the exact nature of the documentation required.

The Commission is aware that a number of
transporters are alleged to have committed multiple
infringements. As these incidents may result in penal proceedings in the competent national courts the
Commission must at the present time refrain from further comment on this aspect.

The co-operation between the Commission and the two Member States mentioned by the Honourable
Member has been generally adequate, although the Commission would encourage a more determined
follow-up to complaints in the field of animal welfare and stricter implementation of existing Community
legislation.

C 318 E/196

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

In relation to missions by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) the position is as follows:

(cid:129) The Netherlands was last visited on this issue in 1995 and it was planned to carry out a further
mission in the first six months of 2001. The current Foot and Mouth disease situation in the
Netherlands makes it unlikely that this mission will be completed in the near future.

(cid:129) The findings of a mission carried out in Denmark in 1995 demonstrated no major compliance

problems and a further mission was therefore not necessary in the intervening years.

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.

(2001/C 318 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1070/01

by Markus Ferber (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 April 2001)

Subject: Comitology costs

I should like to return to my Written Question E-2529/99 (1) to the Commission, which has still not
received a full answer.

According to the EC Treaty, the Commission is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Council.
The Council has this process supervised by committees of national experts.

What was the cost of advisory committees, management committees and regulatory committees in 1997,
1998, 1999 and 2000?

What budget is provided for these committees in 2001?

(1) OJ C 303 E, 24.10.2000, p. 76.

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2001)

The table below shows the amounts committed to cover expenditure on committees during the period
1997-2000 and the commitment appropriations provided for that purpose in the 2001 budget.

Budgetary
line

A-7031

A-7032

Type of committee

Appropriations committed

(in euro)

Commitment
appropriations

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

15 947 000

16 203 880

15 199 976

17 826 921

16 900 000

3 568 600

4 538 982

5 416 117

5 026 112

5 060 000

Committees which must be
consulted in the procedure for
drafting Community legislation

Committees which need not
necessarily be consulted in the
procedure for drafting Com-
munity legislation

A-7033 Other committees operating
within the framework of the
ECSC

718 000

680 000

592 000

722 000

714 000

Total

20 233 600

21 422 862

21 208 093

23 575 033

22 674 000