WRITTEN QUESTION E-1290/01 by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Transport of live animals ‐ exports to third countries.
Date: 2001-05-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal welfare, common commercial policy, export (EU), export refund, protection of animals, transport of animals, veterinary inspection

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/111

At the Agriculture Council meeting of January 2001 the Commission presented a report on the experience
acquired by Member States since the implementation of Council Directive 91/628/EEC of 19 November
1991 on the protection of animals during transport and amending Directives 90/425/EEC and 91/496/
EEC (1) as amended (2). This report has also been submitted to the Parliament. The Commission report
concludes that Member States have had clear difficulties in fully applying Community legislation in this
field. The report also suggests that measures to encourage the slaughter of animals closer to the places
where they are raised also merits examination.

The Commission believes that stricter rules are essential to improve the current situation and has already
taken initiatives in this direction.

To prevent the transport of injured or sick animals, the Commission adopted Decision 2001/298/EC of
30 March 2001 amending the Annexes to Council Directives 64/432/EEC, 90/426/EEC, 91/68/EEC and
92/65/EEC and to Commission Decision 94/273/EC as regards the protection of animals during
transport (3) to amend veterinary certificates for intra-Community trade of livestock in order to refer to
the fitness of the animals to be transported. This measure will enter into force from 1 August 2001.

To improve the standards of the vehicles, the Commission adopted on 9 April 2001 a proposal for
a Council Regulation concerning ventilation systems of road vehicles used for journeys exceeding eight
hours (4), including requirements for a minimum ventilation rate and mandatory systems for monitoring
the temperature inside the lorries.

An additional proposal amending Council Directive 91/628/EEC, will also be presented with the aim of
improving the situation, in particular regarding the level of enforcement.

Furthermore, following the outcome of a new opinion of the Scientific Committee on Animal Welfare,
expected for the end of 2001, a redefinition of travelling times and loading densities may be proposed,
taking into account new scientific evidence.

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.
(2) COM(2000) 809 final.
(3) OJ L 102, 12.4.2001.
(4) COM(2001) 197 final.

(2001/C 350 E/121)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1290/01

by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Transport of live animals (cid:129) exports to third countries

(3 May 2001)

Hundreds of thousands of live cattle are exported from the EU to the Middle East and North Africa each
year in appalling conditions.

They are loaded onto overcrowded vehicles, often beaten with sticks during the process, and then sent by
road to southern European ports from where they are shipped to the Middle East.

On arrival, they are driven to the slaughterhouses, often in temperatures exceeding 40 (cid:176)C, during which
time they suffer stress, dehydration, and in many cases, death. Once in the abattoir the cattle are ritually
slaughtered. Their throats are cut without pre-stunning and while they are fully conscious, and it often
takes them several minutes to die.

This trade is subsidised by the EU taxpayer through export refunds, to get surplus cattle out of the EU.
Will the Commission now end the payment of export refunds on the export of live cattle to third
countries, to discourage this cruel trade which simply serves to give livestock farming a bad name?

C 350 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 2001)

Community exports of live cattle reach approximately 100 000 animals for breeding and 200 000 animals
for slaughter per year. Concerning the mistreatment of animals during transport, Commission Regulation
(EC) No 615/98 of 18 March 1998 laying down specific detailed rules of application for the export refund
arrangements as regards the welfare of live bovine animals during transport (1) stipulates that the payment
of export refunds for live bovine animals is subject to compliance, during the transport of the animal up to
the first place of unloading in the country of final destination, with the welfare provisions of Council
Directive 91/628/EEC of 19 November 1991 on the protection of animals during transport and amending
Directives 90/425/EEC and 91/496/EEC (2) and Regulation (EC) No 615/98.

Regulation (EC) No 615/98 provides measures to ensure that an official veterinarian at the point of exit of
the Community carries out systematic checks on all consignments with regards to all aspects of the
journey which can possibly be verified at this stage (in particular, fitness of the animals, means of transport
complying with the provisions of the Directive 91/628/EEC and that provisions have been taken to feed
and water the animals). Furthermore, specific checks may be carried out in third countries under the
provisions laid down in Articles 3 and 4 of this Regulation. As a result of the checks, the payment of
export refunds was refused for 3 150 animals during the period 1 September 1998 to 30 June 2000.
Moreover, the Commission is currently undertaking an inquiry in several Member States regarding the
implementation of the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 615/98. Its results may lead to
financial corrections following the clearance of accounts procedure.

The Commission has a proactive attitude in the multilateral field and has been sustaining efforts to
promote acceptance of animal welfare at the international level. Within the context of on-going World
Trade Organisation (WTO) agricultural negotiations, the Community has addressed animal welfare in its
negotiating proposal as an important non-trade concern. The Commission co-operation with the candidate
countries to enlargement resulted in enhanced adoption of the Community acquis in this field. Multilateral
activities are pursued also in other fora (e.g. Council of Europe).

With regards to payment of export refunds for the cattle trade (animals for slaughter and breeding), the
total amount paid in 2000 (10 months) was € 110,8 million. During the last year subsidies paid for cattle
exported for slaughter were reduced significantly from € 60,50/100 kilogramme (kg) to € 41,00/100 kg,
following the development of export refunds for meat.

Regarding the possibility of ending the payment of export refunds in order to discourage this trade,
experience following the first bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis (1996) has shown that there
would not be any decrease as importing countries have immediately found alternative suppliers in other
export countries, often requiring even further journies than is required for imports from the Community.

(1) OJ L 82, 19.3.1998.
(2) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.

(2001/C 350 E/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1294/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Subject: EU plan to designate the Severn estuary as a Special Area of Conservation

Could the Commission explain why it is planning to designate the entire Severn estuary in the south west
of England as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive?