WRITTEN QUESTION E-1849/01 by Linda McAvan (PSE) to the Commission. Welfare of chickens kept for meat production.
Date: 2001-06-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal nutrition, animal welfare, livestock farming, poultry

C 93 E/30

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

(2002/C 93 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1849/01

by Linda McAvan (PSE) to the Commission

(26 June 2001)

Subject: Welfare of chickens kept for meat production

Can the Commission confirm whether or not the practice of ‘skip a day’ feeding, i.e. the poultry industry’s
term for when a limited ration of feed is given only every other day, is in compliance with Council
Directive 98/58/EC (1) on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes?

The Commission stated last year in an answer to parliamentary question E-1848/00 (2) that, following the
conclusion of the report from the SCAHAW and in the light of the above Directive, it was working on a
proposal to establish the welfare requirements for keeping broiler chickens in the Community. What
progress has been made on this proposal?

(1) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23.
(2) OJ C 89 E, 20.3.2001, p. 89.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(17 September 2001)

Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept for farming
purposes addresses the welfare requirements to be applied for the protection of animals kept for different
types of production, including the keeping of chickens for meat production.

The scientific committee on animal health and animal welfare (SCAHAW) adopted on 21 March 2000 an
opinion on the welfare of chickens kept for meat production. The scientific committee points out that
severe feed restrictions result in unacceptable welfare problems. It also indicates that allowing breeding
birds to reach a high body weight through free access to feed leads to other serious welfare problems.

Following the conclusions of the opinion from the SCAHAW and in the light of the above-mentioned
Directive, the Commission will address this situation by taking appropriate measures once work on a range
of other priorities on animal welfare,
including animal transport and the welfare of pigs, has been
completed.

(2002/C 93 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1854/01

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission

(21 June 2001)

Subject: PHARE funding for the European Middle School in Vienna

The Cernet project was launched in 1996 by a group of Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Austrian education
experts to establish cross-border cooperation in education. This cooperation gave rise to a very successful
cross-border educational network, the core of which is the European Middle School which teaches 10-14
year-old pupils from the Cernet regions together with Viennese pupils.

The project has so far been funded from PHARE CBC and through national contributions from the
countries involved. To secure further funding for the project, the FAIME financing plan was developed,
though this was rejected in a letter from the Commission (Mr Verheugen’s office). This rejection has left
the future of the project in jeopardy, which in turn casts doubt on whether the pupils taking part will be
able to finish their education. The letter states that the project is not eligible for support because its
headquarters are in Vienna and because pupils from the applicant countries are involved.