WRITTEN QUESTION E-3564/02 by Marialiese Flemming (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Uniform animal welfare standards at EU level.
Date: 2002-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, EU research policy, European standard, approximation of laws, common agricultural policy, protection of animals, transport policy

3.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 155 E/169

(2003/C 155 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3564/02

by Marialiese Flemming (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Uniform animal welfare standards at EU level

(12 December 2002)

As some EU countries (Austria and Germany) have very high animal welfare standards while other
countries provide animals with no protection whatsoever, it seems necessary to introduce Community
in the spirit of Protocol No 24 ‘on the
legislation to institute minimum standards of animal welfare,
protection of animals’ annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty.

Is the Commission willing to draft a directive to this end?

If so, when will the Commission submit such a proposal for a directive?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 2003)

Since 1974 Community rules have been adopted in respect of the protection of animals on farms, during
transport and at the time of slaughtering. Furthermore, there is legislation in place for the protection of
wild animals and the protection of animals used for experimental or scientific purposes. These rules are
regularly reviewed.

In some cases, such as the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, the Member States are entitled,
in respect of the general requirements of Community law, to maintain or adopt stricter standards for their
country. Concerning other issues, such as the protection of animals during transport, Community
legislation constitutes a nearly full harmonisation of the welfare standards to be applied.

The Protocol mentioned by the Honourable Member requires full regard to be paid to animal welfare when
drafting and applying legislation in relation to the Community’s agricultural, transport, internal market and
research policies. The Community can only act within the powers that have been conferred to it by the EC
remains the sole
Treaty. Prevention of cruelty to animals and of
responsibility of the Member States except when breaches of the above-mentioned Community rules also
amount to cruelty or mistreatment.

their mistreatment,

in general,

(2003/C 155 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3568/02

by Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(5 December 2002)

Subject: Threats to religious and cultural diversity in Israel

In May 2001, the Israeli armed forces forced their way into the property of the Armenian Apostolic
Monastery of Baron Der, near Beith Jala, damaging the monastery’s ecological, historical and archaeological
heritage, to an estimated cost of over EUR 300 000. They have been occupying the property ever since.

Reiterated attempts on the part of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem to negotiate the position, and
appeals launched by leading moral and political authorities including Pope John-Paul II and the UN special
rapporteur for religious freedoms, Mr Amor, have gone unheeded.

When the Armenian Patriarchate appealed. the Israeli military and political authorities responded by
ordering the property to be seized. In April 2002, Israel launched its scheme to build a wall separating its
territory from the Left Bank. To this effect, the Israeli armed forces have laid a paved road right through
the property, and plan to run the dividing wall down this road, thus cutting the monastic property into
two mutually inaccessible halves.