WRITTEN QUESTION E-3670/02 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission. Cost of eliminating waste arising from the slaughter chain.
Date: 2002-12-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, State aid, agricultural waste, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, control of State aid, discriminatory price, slaughter of animals, waste management

3.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 155 E/179

Despite the sustained efforts of the Commission to increase the interoperability of national systems, in
support of the Council resolution of 17 June 1997, there is the risk that there will be a multiplication of
incompatible equipment in heavy goods vehicles. In view of this, in its White Paper on transport policy
the Commission announced a draft European directive that will be proposed to the Council and the
European Parliament during the course of 2003.

(2003/C 155 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3670/02

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission

(18 December 2002)

Subject: Cost of eliminating waste arising from the slaughter chain

What is the nature of the approach taken in each Member State since the BSE crisis to the elimination of
the (bone) waste arising from the slaughter chain? The Spanish state obliges producers to meet certain
costs which are then passed on to the consumer, who ends up picking up the bill in the form of higher
prices: the waste elimination is thus ultimately financed by the consumer.

It appears that certain other Member States are directly meeting these waste elimination costs, a practice
their
which translates into a comparative advantage for producers in those Member States over
counterparts in the Spanish state: for certain imports from the internal market, these costs are not
included in the price, and this creates a situation of comparative inequality between Member States.

Can the Commission state whether any EU legislation exists obliging all Member States to operate the
same practices, or whether this is a matter for the Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2003)

Community legislation (1) currently requires slaughterhouses and cutting plants to extract specified risk
materials. However, the Member States can decide to authorise the removal of the spinal column from
carcases or part-carcases in butchers that are specifically approved, controlled and registered to do so.

After the entry into force (1 January 2003) of the Community guidelines for State aid concerning TSE
tests, fallen stock and slaughterhouse waste (2), the Commission will no longer authorise State aid to cover
the costs involved in eliminating the slaughterhouse waste produced.

However, as an exceptional measure and with a view to enabling the meat sector to absorb gradually the
higher costs resulting from the introduction of the legislation on TSE, the Commission will authorise State
aid of up to 50 % of the costs for the safe disposal of specified risk materials and meat- and bonemeal of
no commercial value produced in 2003.

For the same reason, the Commission will also authorise State aid of up to 100 % of the costs for
eliminating specified risk materials and meat- and bonemeal of no commercial value produced before the
entry into force of the guidelines.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the prevention,

control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (cid:1) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001.

(2) OJ C 324, 24.12.2002.