WRITTEN QUESTION E-1773/01 by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission. Compliance with ethical rules on the treatment of animals in the BPRC.
Date: 2001-06-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, animal experimentation, animal welfare, ethics, medical research, protection of animals

C 40 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(13 July 2001)

The political dialogue between the Union and Zimbabwe started at the beginning of March 2001. Meetings
between the Union troika in Harare and the government of Zimbabwe have so far been held on eight
occasions, most of them under the leadership of the Senior Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chiwewe, but also
with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mudenge. The subject of the dialogue meetings has so far largely
been about the format and agenda for the dialogue. Discussions on the agenda did give the opportunity to
raise Union concerns and to identify problems. The agreement on the agenda including key issues such as
governance issues and land reform is important when analysing the results of the dialogue. Dialogue will
now concentrate on how to transform the agreed agenda into clear actions and results on the ground.

The Commission is aware that this constructive and critical dialogue has not yet yielded enough tangible
results. It remains, however, convinced that the dialogue should continue despite the difficulties as it could
be an important instrument in stabilising relations between Zimbabwe and the Union and in preventing
conflict within Zimbabwe.

For the Commission, one of the Union(cid:146)s major political objectives is to support free and fair 2002
elections. The Union policy is to remain neutral, engaged and to keep a medium and long-term view on
the crisis. Therefore, the Commission maintains its strategy of constructive engagement consisting in
providing humanitarian- type assistance and supporting the democratic process, so that the Zimbabwean
people can express their will through the ballot box at the next Presidential elections. In this perspective
the Commission has already started preparations for election assistance and observation. The Commission
believes that the political dialogue must be constructive and positive and that time has not yet come to
have recourse to Article 96 consultations and sanctions.
In the course of a Commission mission to
Zimbabwe early June 2001, Mr. Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) encouraged the Union to continue on the path of engagement and dialogue rather than sanctions
and ostracism, and in a conversation with Commissioner Nielson July 4 he emphasised the importance of
a strong EU engagement in the electoral process, both in terms of technical support and electoral
observation.

(2002/C 40 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1773/01

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(15 June 2001)

Subject: Compliance with ethical rules on the treatment of animals in the BPRC

is

the Commission(cid:146)s responsibility to verify compliance with all ethical, animal welfare and
It
environmental safety standards in all research and development projects to which the EU contributes
funding. It is reported that these standards are widely flouted at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre
(BPRC) in the Netherlands. 1500 primates are currently kept at the centre in conditions which in Denmark
would immediately lead to a police investigation. I refer to the Report on the Biomedical Primate Research
Centre published by the CEECE, the Coalition to End Experiments on Chimpanzees in Europe (1) and to an
article in the journal Nature Vol. 411, page 123 of 10 May 2001.

The Commission should familiarise itself with the European campaign to close the centre and transfer the
animals to nature reserves. Many of the animals in question are no longer used in experiments and it
would apparently cost half the amount spent on keeping the animals at the BPRC if they were transferred
to nature reserves.

Will the Commission immediately ensure that financial aid to the BPRC is made conditional upon the
primates living in totally unacceptable conditions at the centre being transferred so that they can lead a life
under conditions which meet the ethical standards for the treatment of animals applying in northern
Europe?

(1) Box 3384, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5WB, UK.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/101

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

All research in Europe involving the use of animals is subject to the Council Directive 86/609/EEC of
24 November 1986 (1) on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes.
The Member States have responsibility to enforce this.

The Commission has been most vigilant as
implementing the Fifth Framework Programme on Research and Technological Development.

regards animal experiments and animal welfare in

The annex of the Fifth Framework Programme (2), concerning the Quality of Life Programme and the
annex of the specific program on Quality of Life (3) define the rules for funding of research. In particular,
they specify that, animal experiments and tests on animals should be replaced, to the extent possible, with
in vitro or other alternative methods. An obligation is placed on all applicants, including the Biomedical
Research Primate Centre (BPRC) to describe the procedures adopted to respect the principles of the 3Rs
(replacement, reduction and refinement) and to protect the welfare of animals. In addition, research on the
development of alternatives to animal experiments is supported under this programme.

An ethical review has been implemented systematically under the Quality of Life specific programme for
proposals dealing with issues such as the use of non-human primates, generation of transgenic animals,
etc. The ethical review panel includes, among others, representatives from animal welfare groups. The
ethical review ensures that all research involving animals are conducted in accordance with Directive 86/
609/CEE. It takes account of the overall benefit of the research proposed in relation to the possible costs in
terms of animal suffering. Furthermore, participants in research projects must seek the approval of the
relevant national authorising bodies prior to the start of the research activities. The BPRC, which is situated
in the Union but independent of the Union, has engaged itself contractually to fulfil all national legal and
ethical requirements.

The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences granted the BPRC a one-off subsidy of NLG 15
millions in October 2000 to improve animal welfare. Several improvements have been made, for instance,
building of outdoor facilities which support the social housing of macaques. Plans for rehousing of the
chimpanzees(cid:146) colony of the BPRC is currently under preparation.

The Commission does not intend to exclude the BPRC from participation in Community funded projects
as long as the relevant authorisations from national authorities have been obtained.

(1) OJ L 358, 18.12.1986.
(2) Decision No 182/1999/EC of the Parliament and Council of 22 December 1998 concerning the fifth framework
programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities
(1998 to 2002) (OJ L 26, 1.2.1999).

(3) 1999/167/EC: Council Decision of 25 January 1999 adopting a specific programme for research, technological
development and demonstration on quality of life and management of living resources (1998 to 2002) (OJ L 64,
12.3.1999).

(2002/C 40 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1778/01

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(15 June 2001)

Subject: Opening of a casino at the Zelezna Ruda railway station

The frontier railway station at Eisenstein is partly on German territory (Bavarian Eisenstein) and partly on
Czech territory (Zelezna Ruda). The German section houses the Bavarian-Bohemian Information Centre For
Nature Reserves And National Parks. The Information Centre was established with the aid of funds from
Interreg III. The Czech section of the station was restored with the aid of a considerable amount of funding
from PHARE-CBC. The association (cid:145)Green Heart of Europe(cid:146) has also set up a centre there. According to our
information, a casino is now to be set up in the Czech section of the station.