WRITTEN QUESTION E-1277/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Animal slaughter and pollution.
Date: 2001-05-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United Kingdom, environmental protection, foot-and-mouth disease, public health, slaughter of animals

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/71

The Commission is currently examining the complaint to which the Honourable Member refers. However,
at this stage, no violation of Community law has been established, since the region to which the
complainants refer does not appear to form part of the protected areas. Moreover, its responsibilities and
the respect for the principle of subsidiarity do not permit the Commission to take a view on whether or
not amendment of a regional planning study was justified.

According to the information received from the Greek authorities, the project in question is not part-
financed under the Structural Funds and so the Commission is not consulted about its planning and
implementation.

If this project is proposed for part-financing, the Commission will ask the Greek authorities to respect the
Community and national legislation in force, in particular as regards environmental protection.

(1) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001, p. 129.

(2001/C 364 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1277/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(2 May 2001)

Subject: Animal slaughter and pollution

According to the news, in the United Kingdom the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease has led to the
slaughter of more than 500 000 animals. The slaughtered animals have been buried in mass graves or
burnt on pyres. Apparently another 200 000 heads of cattle await the same fate.

Can the Commission state:

(cid:129) what measures have been taken to prevent risks of environmental pollution (of the air and ground

water);

(cid:129) whether the people living in the areas concerned are being protected from the consequences of any

such pollution;

(cid:129) whether there are any guarantees for other European countries that products from potentially
contaminated regions have been controlled, both for the risk of direct contamination (polluted water)
and that of indirect contamination (products cultivated on polluted land or which have been irrigated
with polluted water);

(cid:129) whether it will inform Parliament in detail on the environmental situation after the slaughter of such

an incredible number of cattle?

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

(19 July 2001)

As a part of controlling the foot-and-mouth epidemic a large number of animal carcasses have to be
disposed of. Because there is no risk-free approach it is essential that the disposal of the animal carcasses is
handled with proper regard to environmental protection and to public health and that the necessary
measures are taken as part of the control strategy. The measures taken by the British Department of Health
to prevent
risks of environmental pollution are available on: http://www.doh.gov.uk/fmdguidance/
fmdsummary.pdf (guidance on the building of pyres, guidance on the use of materials for pyres, guidance
on ash disposal arising from pyres and mobile incinerators, (cid:133)).

The issue of animal waste is addressed at Community level by several directives covering environmental
and veterinary aspects. Specifically with regard to the disposal of animal carcasses, the Commission has put
forward a proposal for a Regulation (1) on animal by-products not intended for human consumption
designed to amend current
framework. This draft
Regulation lays down animal and public health rules for the processing and/or disposal of this waste.

legislation and to create a comprehensive legal

C 364 E/72

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

To protect the people who live and work in the areas affected by foot-and-mouth disease the British
Department of Health has developed a (cid:145)Public Health Guidance(cid:146) and has sent it to the people in these areas.
This guidance is available on the News Co-ordination Centre web site: http://www.co-ordination.gov.uk/
foot_leaflet.htm. In addition a risk assessment of the health effects of pyres has been made entitled (cid:145)Foot
and Mouth: Effects on Health of Emissions from Pyres Used for Disposal of Animals(cid:146) which can be found
on http://www.doh.gov.uk/fmdguidance/pyrereport.pdf

As soon as reliable and precise data are available, the Commission is prepared to inform the Parliament on
its request on the environmental situation after the burning of animal carcasses and to see whether
additional measures are necessary.

(1) OJ C 96 E, 27.3.2001.

(2001/C 364 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1281/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Subject: Problems associated with drought and lack of water for irrigation in Greece

In the coming months, farms in many areas of Greece will be faced with a severe shortage of water for
irrigation owing to the scant amount of rainfall during the winter and the failure to carry out any related
large or small-scale projects (e.g. reservoirs, aquifer enrichment). The exceptionally high unseasonable
temperatures (37 (cid:176)C) in the last ten days of March and the warm wind which affected certain regions
(Thessaly and Central Greece) have already severely damaged cereal crops and, in some cases, devastated
the entire production.

Bearing in mind that drought affects not only agricultural production and farmers(cid:146) incomes but also the
environment and that it is, therefore, imperative to take immediate measures:

1. Has the Commission been informed by Greece about potential drought? Have the Greek authorities
to deal with the situation and alleviate the

for measures

request

submitted any particular
repercussions?

2. What plans have been made under the 3rd CSF for structural measures to improve and bring down

the cost of water resource management?

3. Will compensation be paid to those farmers whose cereal production was damaged by the high

temperatures in March?

4. Will measures be taken to assist those farmers who, owing to the shortage of water for irrigation, will
either be forced not to grow or to restrict their crops, or will suffer a loss of production and income?
(Exemption from the co-responsibility levy for small farmers; application of Article 13(b) of Regulation
(EC) 1750/1999 (1) etc.)?

(1) OJ L 214, 13.8.1999, p. 31.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 2001)

1.
The Commission has received no recent specific information on the drought in Greece and the Greek
authorities have not yet submitted any specific request of the sort referred to by the Honourable Member.