WRITTEN QUESTION E-1821/02 by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission. Rising number of cases of swine fever in the EU.
Date: 2002-06-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, animal plague, health control, scientific research, swine, vaccine, wild mammal

6.2.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(11 September 2002)

The European Community signed the Protocols on Town and Country Planning and Sustainable
Development, the Protocol on Mountain Farming and the Protocol on Conservation of Nature and
Landscape, in December 1994. On 16 January 2001 the Commission approved a proposal to the Council
to sign the Protocol on Transport, which is still pending. The Commission has not proposed the
ratification of any of the existing Protocols to the Alpine Convention.

Commission involvement in the Alpine Convention has been limited and the Commission has not attended
any meetings on the Alpine Convention in the last few years, due to the need of the Commission to focus
its limited resources. However, the Commission is currently exploring options to resume involvement in
the work of the Alpine Convention.

In its second Report on Economic and Social Cohesion,

The Commission has been contributing to the promotion of the sustainable development of the Alpine
region through existing EC policies.
the
Commission underlined that mountain regions are at a disadvantage and have, as such, been included, with
other areas with severe geographical or natural handicap, as one of
ten priorities in the future
Community’s cohesion policy. A number of Community policies, inter alia agricultural policy, regional
policy and environment policy, are contributing to the sustainable development of mountain regions,
including the Alpine region, and contribute to the conservation of mountain eco-systems bio-diversity as
well as its economic and social fabric.

The text of the Alpine Convention has been published in the Official Journal (1) and has been, therefore,
translated into all EU official languages. The Protocols are only available in the official languages of the
Convention (French, German, Italian and Slovenian).

The Convention has been ratified by, Austria on 19.04.94, Germany on 16.06.94, France on 30.11.95 and
Italy on 28.09.99.

A working party on ‘Population and Culture’ has recently been established to analyse the added value and
the urgency of drafting a Protocol on ‘Population and Culture’. The first meeting took place on
23-24 April 2002 and this working party will draft a provisional report for the 7th Alpine Conference on
19-20 November 2002.

(1) OJ L 61, 12.3.1996.

(2003/C 28 E/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1821/02

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 June 2002)

Subject: Rising number of cases of swine fever in the EU

The number of cases of classical swine fever in the EU is on the increase. Since Directive 2001/89/EC (1)
was adopted in October of last year the use of marker vaccines has been authorised, which means that,
instead of clearing infected and surrounding farms, ring vaccination can be used to prevent the disease
spreading. However, the use of such marker vaccines is limited because there are no approved test
methods that can make a distinction between vaccinated animals and those naturally infected.

1.
Is the Commission prepared to make extra funds available as soon as possible either from the Sixth
Framework Programme for Research or from the funds specifically earmarked for this purpose by the
budgetary authority in budget line B1-330 so that European research institutes can develop such test
methods more quickly?

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Official Journal of the European Union

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6.2.2003

Given that the swine fever virus is endemic in wild boar in certain parts of the EU, the development
2.
of a dead marker vaccine that can be administered orally would be extremely useful in eradicating swine
fever in the wild boar population in the EU. Is the Commission also prepared to make funds available for
the development of such a vaccine?

(1) OJ L 316, 1.12.2001, p. 5.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2002)

Council Directive 2001/89/EC of 23 October 2001 on Community measures for the control of classical
swine fever (1) provides for the use of marker vaccines to control Classical Swine Fever (CSF) should they
become available. The work programme for the new research framework programme, 2002-2006,
is
currently being developed. There are a number of areas where work on marker vaccines and diagnostic
tests to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals might be supported. In particular, research
activities to support Community policies are being developed in conjunction with the other Directorates
General. Marker vaccines and diagnostic tests for various diseases on the Office International des
Epizooties’ (OIE) list A, including CSF, are being considered for inclusion in the work programme. Given
the limited funds that are available, however, research is being prioritised and it is not possible to
guarantee, at the present time, that there will be specific support for CSF marker vaccines and diagnostic
tests.

In addition to the funds for research that supports Community policies, referred to above, the Commission
is currently identifying research topics for the thematic priorities of the new framework programme and a
first call for proposals is expected later this year. Expressions of interest within this assessment include a
variety of projects related to CSF and other OIE list A diseases,
in wild animal
populations, under the general topic of ‘safer and environmentally friendly production methods and
healthier foodstuffs’, which includes ‘improvement of animal husbandry … and welfare …’. Clearly,
improved control of epizootic disease in livestock potentially falls into this area. Whether such research is
eventually funded, however, will depend on the outcome of the assessment process and, eventually, on the
quality of the proposals received in response to a call for proposals.

including control

Budget line B1 330 is primarily devoted to the co-financing of the Member States’ programmes for the
eradication and surveillance of major animal diseases, including CSF. In 2002, a total of EUR 155 million is
shown in the budget for this purpose. Under the modifications made to this budget line by the Parliament,
this appropriation is also intended to finance the development of marker vaccines or tests which can
distinguish between sick and vaccinated animals. In this respect priority has been given to the validation of
such tests for foot-and-mouth disease by reserving EUR 800 000 for that purpose.

The general aims and the limited funds available in chapter 33, covering expenditure in the veterinary and
phytosanitary field, together with the need to address the high costs of the recent bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) crises, do not permit many resources to be
committed at this stage to the development of diagnostic tests for CSF.

from this chapter, EUR 185 000 have been allocated for financing the activities of

However,
the
Community Reference Laboratory for CSF in Hanover in 2002. These activities include the performance
and the co-ordination of research directed towards an improved control of CSF. Appropriate arrangements
are also being made to cover the cost for a workshop, which is being organised by this laboratory, on the
most recent CSF diagnostic tests and to which experts from the Member States would take part.

In the above context it is worthwhile mentioning that in the absence of marker vaccine the use of a
conventional vaccine against classical swine fever in feral pigs by means of oral baits was authorised by the

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German authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland for an emergency vaccination. The two respective
German eradication plans (Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate) for the eradication of classical swine fever in
feral pigs were approved by Commission Decision 2002/161/EC (2). The experience gained may contribute
to improve future control strategies.

(1) OJ L 316, 1.12.2001.
(2) Commission Decision of 22 February 2002 approving the plans submitted by Germany for the eradication of
classical swine fever in feral pigs in Saarland and the emergency vaccination against classical swine fever in feral
pigs in Rhineland-Pfalz and Saarland, OJ L 53, 23.2.2002.

(2003/C 28 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1822/02

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(27 June 2002)

Subject: Failure of Dutch manure policy to comply with EU standards

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has advised the Dutch
government to tighten up the regulations on spreading nitrogen on farmland and extend significantly the
acreage of dry sandy soil subject to extra strict standards in 2003. If the Netherlands fails to do so, the EU
Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC (1)) will be exceeded in 2003.

On 31 May 2002 the outgoing government decided not to take a decision on manure policy in 2003. The
new government (cid:1) which will probably be drawn from the CDA, VVD and LPF parties (cid:1) will have to
resolve the problem. It was reported in the agricultural daily, Agrarisch Dagblad, on 31 May that the new
government coalition of CDA, VVD and LPF does not intend to make the 2003 manure regulations more
stringent than those in force in 2002.

Hitherto the European Commission has been extremely strict and clear in implementing the Nitrates
Directive. At
the end of May 2002 Environment Commissioner Wallström informed the Belgian
government that she intended to withdraw or suspend the EUR 200 million rural development subsidy if
slurry policy in Flanders failed to comply with the EU directive.

Is the European Commission prepared (cid:1) in line with its position on Belgium (cid:1) to place monies for
subsidies for the Dutch intensive livestock farming industry in the reserve until the policy of the new
Dutch government for 2003 complies with EU standards for nitrates?

(1) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 2002)

The Commission is following closely the implementation of the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) in The
Netherlands. The Netherlands has not designated specific nitrate vulnerable zones but has made use of
Article 3(5) of the directive and established an action programme for its national territory. An infringement
procedure against The Netherlands (1998/2158) was opened in 1998 due to the failure to include in the
action programme all the measures required pursuant to Articles 5(4) and 5(5) and annexes II and III of the
Nitrates Directive. The case has been referred to the Court of Justice and is presently in its final stage as a
judgment of the Court is expected.

In order to assure coherence of Community environmental and rural development policies, clear and
irrevocable commitments were included in each of
the Community co-financed rural development
programmes. For the Nitrates Directive the commitments in the Dutch rural development programmes
concern sufficient progress to be made by 31 December 2000 to comply with the Nitrates Directive,
essentially involving modification and completion of the Dutch mineral policy.