WRITTEN QUESTION E-1543/01 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Financial measures to limit the transport of livestock and meat and ensure that subsidies do not result in spurious trading.
Date: 2001-05-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: bovine spongiform encephalopathy, common agricultural policy, export aid, livestock, protection of animals, transport of animals, veterinary legislation

C 364 E/142

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

(2001/C 364 E/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1543/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 May 2001)

Subject: Financial measures to limit the transport of livestock and meat and ensure that subsidies do not

result in spurious trading

Does it happen that traders who receive subsidies for exporting calves outside the territory of the EU
1.
subsequently reimport and then re-export the same calves in order to obtain the subsidies again after
which the calves themselves are simply dumped?

Can the Commission confirm that the abolition of an independent meat inspectorate and cutbacks in
2.
the sterilisation of animal meal by superheating contributed to the spread of BSE in the United Kingdom?

3. What obstacles now exist to the provision of increased stable room for livestock and more storage space
for meat as a means of helping to ensure that animals which are temporarily infected with a disease are
given time to recover or that meat intended for consumption can be properly stored, as opposed to opting
for immediate destruction?

Does the Commission have any information regarding the relationship between, on the one hand,
4.
interest rate subsidies, tax arrangements, financial incentives, support price guarantees, energy subsidies
and environmental subsidies to benefit trade and producers and, on the other hand, the cost of epidemics
to society as a whole? What was the cost-benefit situation each year from 1995 to 2000?

5.
Is the Commission prepared to assist in the development and promotion of a duration index system
for the agricultural sector, awarding tax bonuses which are proportionately greater for products which
have travelled less, thereby discouraging shuttle trading in livestock and meat?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2001)

1.
There are no export subsidies for exports of calves. Export refunds are granted for exports of pure-
bred breeding animals and cattle for slaughter. The conditions for the granting of such aid make it possible
to assess the genuineness of export operations. The Commission does not have any evidence to suggest
that fraud of this nature has taken place.

2.
The Commission has not carried out any investigation into a link between the spread of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and the organisation of the British meat inspectorate. Neither has it
enquired into a connection with specific changes which might have taken place in British animal waste
rendering standards; however it is now accepted that the principal means of spread has been through the
feeding of infective meat and bone meal.

3.
In case of the occurrence of certain rapidly spreading animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease
and classical swine fever, Community legislation provides for a number of control measures, including: i)
slaughtering and destruction of animals on infected farms; ii) restrictions of movements of animals from
the neighbouring farms or other disease-suspected farms, as these animals may be incubating the disease.

However,
if certain conditions are met, animals may be moved from the farms under restriction to
slaughterhouses. In general, their meat cannot be traded normally, as it comes from animals of uncertain
health status, and must undergo certain treatments ensuring the destruction of the relevant disease agent, if
any. Increasing space for the storage of this meat would probably not be of any advantage, as prolonged
storage in itself does not offer sufficient health guarantees.

Increasing space on farms may be helpful to reduce animal welfare problems, which in particular may
occur on pig farms under restriction. In the light of the Commission proposal for a Council Directive

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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amending Directive 91/630/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs (1), following
the opinion of the Parliament, the Council has recently amended the minimum standards on protection of
pigs laid down in Council Directive 91/630/EEC of 19 November 1991 (2). The new Directive will provide
for further space for sows and gilts. In any case Member States may adopt more rigorous standards than
the ones adopted at Community level, if deemed suitable.

4.
The Commission is not aware of any studies on the subject referred to by the Honourable Member.
Nor does it have all the information needed for its departments to carry out such a study, as several factors
which would have to be taken into account do not fall within its area of responsibility.

5.
The Commission is involved in establishing sustainable development indicators for the agricultural
sector. On this subject, the Honourable Member is referred in particular to the working document on
sustainable development indicators (3) and the Communication from the Commission to the Council and
the European Parliament on the statistical information needed for indicators to monitor the integration of
environmental concerns into the common agricultural policy (4). However, the Commission would remind
the Honourable Member that the introduction of tax bonuses is not at present a Community matter.

(1) OJ C 154 E, 29.5.2001.
(2) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.
(3) SEC(2001) 266.
(4) COM(2001) 144 final.

(2001/C 364 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1548/01

by Emilia M(cid:252)ller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 May 2001)

Subject: Development of yacht marinas in Greece

1.
Are there regional development or other EU funds available to help build yacht marinas (including
the necessary tourism infrastructure and development) in prime (cid:129) but, in tourism terms, underdeveloped
(cid:129) sailing locations in Greece?

If assistance for such investment were available, what conditions would be attached? What conditions

2.
would apply to a German investor?

3. Where can information be obtained and applications made?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

The part-financing of pleasure port infrastructure (marinas) can be eligible under the (cid:145)Competitiveness(cid:146)
operational programme in the Community support framework for Greece for the 2000-2006 program-
ming period.

Investment aid is granted under Greek law No 2601/98 (aid scheme), which lays down the procedures and
conditions for granting it. Construction of the infrastructure in question is exclusively part-financed as
private investment, with the European Regional Development Fund part-financing only a part of the public
expenditure provided under this law. Any proposal from private investors may, after evaluation, be taken
into consideration for possible part-financing. The selection of individual projects is a matter for the
competent national authorities, not the Commission.

In this respect, more detailed information can be obtained from the Managing authority for the
Competitiveness operational programme Semitelou Street 6, Athens.