WRITTEN QUESTION E-1162/02 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Oversized pig farm.
Date: 2002-04-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF, Thessaly, application of EU law, environmental impact, environmental protection, intensive livestock farming, swine, water protection

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/95

is currently exploring the
The Commission is pleased to inform the Honourable Member that
possibilities of legislative initiatives in these two areas. The Commission is working on a Green Paper the
adoption of which is foreseen for 2002 which should launch a wide public consultation on the subject. In
order to prepare the Green Paper, the Commission has held an expert meeting with representatives from
the Member States on 28 May 2002.

it

(2002/C 301 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1162/02

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 April 2002)

Subject: Oversized pig farm

According to press reports and complaints from local people and environmental organisations, a huge pig
farm is being built at Megala Kalyvia in the municipality of Trikala, Thessaly, bringing with it
environmental and public health hazards. An area of 80 hectares is to accommodate 8 500 sows. In
practice, this means that a total of some 100 000 animals will be concentrated on that area.

With such a large farm the risk of the emergence of animal diseases increases several
fold, waste
management is a problem, and there is a risk of contaminating the ground water in Thessaly. Moreover, as
the trend throughout Europe is to move away from such vast breeding units, can the Commission answer
the following:

1. Will this investment be directly or indirectly linked to Community funding?

2. What is the Commission’s assessment of the specific features of this pig farm?

3.

In view of the local opposition to the project and the environmental impact assessment, will the
Commission ask the Greek authorities to explain how they will protect public health and the
environment from the effects of this farm?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 June 2002)

1.
The Commission’s initial understanding is that no direct or indirect aid for the investment in
question has been granted from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). This is
the only Community fund granting aid in connection with agricultural production, including the pig sector.

2. and 3.
If the project were to be submitted for part-financing the EAGGF regulatory provisions would
have to be applied by the national and/or regional authorities involved: the project would have to be
geared to the normal outlets, there could be no increase in capacity and the environmental constraints
would have to be respected. The Community legislation covering the environmental
impact of such
undertakings includes Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on assessment of the effects of
certain public and private projects on the environment (1) and Council Directive 91/676/EEC of
12 December 1991 concerning protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural
sources (2). Their provisions must be respected where authorisation to establish such pig farms and disposal
of their manure are concerned.

The Commission requests the Honourable Member to submit more detailed information on this project to
build a pig farm at Megala Kalyvia. It will examine this to ascertain whether Greece has broken its
obligations in the EAGGF framework or under European environmental law.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985 (amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997).
(2) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.