WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/02 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission. Bear bile farming in China.
Date: 2002-12-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, animal product, animal welfare, international cooperation, livestock farming, medicine, protection of animals, the EU's international role, wild mammal

C 65 E/14

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

dispatched to Tehran 30 September-1 October 2002. The Iranian government has demonstrated a political
will
to enter into a Human Rights dialogue, which would be regularly assessed with the help of
benchmarks. In this context, it can be noted that Iran has signalled its readiness to receive UN thematic
rapporteurs.

The opening of negotiations with Iran on a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) linked to instruments
on political dialogue and counter-terrorism, will (cid:1) inter alia (cid:1) be linked to parallel progress in the human
rights field. This is the approach of the political package defined at the European Council
in Sevilla
(21/22 June 2002) and formally adopted on 12 July 2002 (an ‘indissociable whole’ composed of the TCA
and the separate but inter-related instruments on political dialogue and counter-terrorism).

Naturally, the Commission remains concerned about the Human Rights situation in Iran. The repressive
measures against democratic institutions, civil society and the media, are disturbing. The lack of rule of
law, arbitrary arrests and discrimination against minorities, are cause for concern. Recourse to cruel,
inhuman, and degrading punishments is unacceptable.

The Union, including the Commission, continues to act through the instruments at its disposal, within the
framework of the Comprehensive Dialogue and its global Iran policy. The Union regularly discusses its Iran
policy with the United States,
in
particular those under the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act.

including its disagreement of the American sanctions towards Iran,

(2004/C 65 E/014)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/02

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(10 December 2002)

Subject: Bear bile farming in China

Would the Commission inform me as to what influence and assistance the Commission is offering the
Chinese Government in order to stop the cruel practice of farming bears for their bile?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2003)

China has traditionally used bear bile for medical purposes. Since the 1980’s commercial ‘bear farming’ has
been used to obtain bile for traditional Chinese medicines.

The Commission is aware that this practice arose because of increasing conservation concerns about the
killing of wild bears for this purpose. Nevertheless, the Commission also shares the Honourable Member’s
concern over the possible implications of such a practice for animal welfare. The Union has one of the
highest animal welfare standards in the world and public awareness regarding animal welfare is high.
Furthermore, a comprehensive set of legislation has been adopted that covers a wide range of issues
relating to animal well being.

The Commission’s policies promote the improved protection and respect for the welfare of animals as
sentient beings, both internally and internationally, since it is of the opinion that high animal welfare
standards must be ensured globally.

The Community will continue to actively pursue substantive negotiations on animal welfare and is
co-operating at the international level in order to improve animal welfare policies world-wide. To do so, it
seeks to develop high multilateral standards within the framework of specific international conventions,
mainly within the framework of the Council of Europe and the World Organisation for Animal Health.