WRITTEN QUESTION E-0219/03 by Alexandros Baltas (PSE) to the Commission. Countries which have set in place essential elements of the Integrated Administration and Control System for certain Community aid schemes (IACS).
Date: 2003-02-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, aid system, aid to agriculture, audit, coding, data processing, database, management audit, management information system

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27.3.2004

Quite apart from the fact that the Member State of which Gibraltar is a dependency is unwilling to
persuade Gibraltar that
is rather
surprising that one of the principles or values which distinguishes us as Europeans, namely respect for the
freedom of expression enjoyed by those working in the media, should have been so fragrantly violated in
Gibraltar.

it has to apply Community directives on single-hulled tankers,

it

Does the Commission intend to approach the Council, (cid:1) with enlargement under way, the moment could
not be more opportune (cid:1) with a view to encouraging the Council to suggest to the Member State whose
colony Gibraltar is that, for the sake of the Union’s good name, that Member State’s government should
both respect this principle and ensure that it is respected?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(9 January 2004)

Further to its holding reply to the Honourable Member’s written question of 27 March 2003, the
Commission is now in a position to give more information on the subject raised as it has received the
British authorities’ response.

The British authorities report that of the twenty people arrested, only six are to be charged and these cases
came before Court on 22 September 2003.

Furthermore, the response points out that decisions on arrests and on prosecution are taken pursuant to
the principle of law and in light of detailed legislation. The right of appeal against action of the police is
also foreseen.

In view of this response, although it deplores the use of force against media, the Commission proposes to
close its inquiry into this matter unless there are any issues on which the Honourable Member requires
further clarification.

(2004/C 78 E/0015)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0219/03

by Alexandros Baltas (PSE) to the Commission

(3 February 2003)

Subject: Countries which have set in place essential elements of the Integrated Administration and Control

System for certain Community aid schemes (IACS)

In order to establish the precise situation in the Member States and the willingness of each one to fully
comply with the provisions regarding controls on Community aid, will the Commission say:

1. To what extent has the IACS been set up in the EU Member States? Which countries have not yet

completed implementation, and what are the prospects for implementation in future?

2. Which countries have submitted full statistical data relating to the IACS and on which countries have

financial corrective measures been imposed owing to a failure to submit the above data?

3. What is the rate of implementation of on-the-spot checks and how reliable are they?

4. Does a single computer database exist for the programme, and, if so, is it available to the bodies

involved in implementing it?

5.

In which countries has codification on the basis of orthophoto maps been completed?

6. What progress has Greece made in implementing elements of the IACS, and what is the outlook for

2003?

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Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 March 2003)

1.
IACS has already been implemented for several years to a high and acceptable level in all Member
States except Greece. However, IACS is periodically updated in all Member States to take account of new
policy instruments, such as the compatibility requirement in respect of certain aid schemes as from
1 January 2003. The Greek authorities have promised full implementation of IACS in Greece by November
2003.

All Member States supply annual statistical data in the framework of IACS-related aid schemes. Since
2.
2000 the requirement has been laid down in IACS Regulations and the situation has shown a marked
improvement in recent years.

No financial corrections have been decided in the context of the Commission’s clearance of account’s
procedure for Member States’
the information received by the
Commission’s agricultural audit service is scrutinised administratively and on-the-spot during audit
missions, often leading to observations and where necessary financial consequences.

failure to supply data. However

3.
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2419/2001 of 11 December 2001 laying down detailed rules for
applying the integrated administration and control system for certain Community aid schemes established
by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 (1) lays down minimum on-the-spot checking levels of 5 % for
surface aids, 5 % or 10 % for bovine premium schemes, depending on the operational reliability of the
national Identification and Registration database, and 10 % for the ewe and goat premium scheme. In
practice, all Member States generally exceed the minimum control level.

The Commission’s agricultural audit service routinely controls Member States’ performance by means of
analytical review, scrutiny of instructions and reports and re-performance of a sample of inspections. The
quality of national checks is generally satisfactory largely as a result of the setting up of land parcel and
animal identification systems, technological advances ensuring full cross referencing and risk targeting, and
rationalisation of controls by means of successive regulatory improvements.

Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 (2) requires that Member States set up IACS to
4.
comprise 5 main elements, including a computerised database. According to Article 3(2) of Regulation
(EEC) No 3508/92 ‘Member States may set up decentralised databases on condition that these, and the
administrative procedures for recording and accessing data, are designed homogeneously throughout the
territory of the Member State and are compatible with one another’. Therefore, there is no single database.

5.
According to Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 there is no regulatory obligation on Member
States to have an identification system on the basis of ortho-photo maps. The systems in Belgium, Ireland,
Portugal, and Finland are fully dependent on ortho-photos. Greece’s system is similarly constructed but not
yet complete. Denmark and Italy have systems with full ortho-photo coverage, and also use digital
mapping techniques. The Netherlands and Sweden deploy a system with partial use of ortho-photography.

6.
Greece has not yet completed its bovine identification and registration system pursuant to Regulation
(EC) No 1760/2000 of the Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 establishing a system for the
identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products and
repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 (3), which had to be fully in place by 1 January 2000 at the
latest. Likewise, the system whereby sheep and goat farmers are required to maintain flock movement
registers, pursuant to Council Directive 92/102/EEC of 27 November 1992 on the identification and
registration of animals (4), does not operate correctly. Greece’s Land Parcel
Identification System that
pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 was to be finalised by 1 January 1997 at the latest is
still incomplete.

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These deficiencies relate to key components of IACS. Consequently, the regulatory and administrative
controls, such as computerised cross-checks, cannot be applied and on-farm inspections are not fully
reliable.

The Commission constantly monitors the situation in Greece, and has received certain undertakings from
the Greek authorities regarding progress expected during 2003 that, if such a program is confirmed, would
significantly enhance IACS performance in respect of the claim year 2004, payable in financial year 2005.

(1) OJ L 327, 12.12.2001.
(2) Council Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 of 27 November 1992 establishing an integrated administration and control

system for certain Community aid schemes, OJ L 355, 5.12.1992.

(3) OJ L 204, 11.8.2000.
(4) OJ L 355, 5.12.1992.

(2004/C 78 E/0016)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0293/03

by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2003)

Subject: Animal welfare in Greek slaughterhouses

A report by the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office in 2000 (DG(SANCO)/1060/2000)
exposed serious animal welfare problems in Greek slaughterhouses. A new film has now exposed
continued serious animal welfare problems in Greek slaughterhouses. The film revealed goats being
slaughtered without any attempt at pre-stunning, in breach of Council Directive 93/119/EC (1), and sheep
being stunned so ineffectively that a significant proportion regain consciousness before throat-cutting,
which is also in breach of Directive 93/119/EC.

What steps is the Commission planning to take to press the Greek Government to ensure that animals in
Greek slaughterhouses are slaughtered in accordance with Council Directive 93/119/EC?

(1) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 21.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2003)

The Commission is aware both from past mission reports of its Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) and
information supplied by animal welfare organisations that there have been serious deficiencies in ensuring
respect of the requirements of Council Directive 93/119/EEC of 22 December 1993 on the protection of
animals at the time of slaughter and killing in Greek slaughterhouses.

The poor situation in the past led the Commission to open infringement proceedings against this Member
State. The FVO recently completed a follow-up mission to that mentioned by the Honourable Member.
This mission was carried out between 13 and 17 January 2003. Although the final mission report is not
yet available, some positive developments have occurred since the previous report. The competent Greek
for example, provided appropriate instructions to official veterinarians working in
authorities have,
slaughterhouses in relation to animal welfare, improved the system for reporting deficiencies and recruited
additional official veterinarians. The mission team indicated that in the three slaughterhouses visited,
although deficiencies remained, these were not as severe as indicated in previous reports. However, the
level of progress is not considered conclusive. A further follow-up FVO mission is therefore planned in
2003.

The report of the inspection will be sent to the Parliament when finalised,
in accordance with the
Commission’s usual procedures, and will be published on the website of Directorate General Health and
Consumer Protection: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/inspections/index_en.html).