WRITTEN QUESTION E-3880/03 by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Pet passports.
Date: 2003-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Ireland, Sweden, United Kingdom, domestic animal, health certificate, health control, intra-EU transport, transport of animals

C 88 E/654

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

take account of variations in temperature. Adjustments for standard temperature shall be calculated on the
basis of the tables published by the International Organisation for Standardisation under the references ISO
91/1 (cid:1) 1982 or any subsequent revision.’

In accordance with Article 6 of Council Directive 92/12/EEC of 25 February 1992 on the general
arrangements for products subject to excise duty and on the holding, movement and monitoring of such
products (5), excise duty payable on excisable goods shall become chargeable at the time of release for
consumption, i.e. at the time of departure of the mineral oils from a tax warehouse, or at the time of their
importation. The Commission fully agrees that it is important to ensure that at the time of release for
consumption the calculation for taxation purposes of the volume of mineral oils is not altered by
temperature effects whatever the season and irrespective of the location from which the release for
consumption takes place. During the regular contacts the Commission has with all Member States, either
on a bilateral basis or within the context of the Excise Committee, no Member State raised any difficulties
so far regarding the application of this provision.

In practice, a common denominator is applied Community wide, which converts the volume of each
specific mass of mineral oils, measured under any ambient temperature, to the volume which corresponds
to the standard temperature of 15 °C. Directives 92/81/EEC and 2003/96/EC do not contain any
methodology or guidance to national administrations concerning this conversion, because existing
international standards (6), established by specialised international organisations, cover this conversion in a
sufficient manner.
these organisations have established detailed scientific tables, containing
corrective volume coefficients for each temperature and mineral oil specific mass.

In fact,

It appears that there is no valid reason for changing the standard temperature from 15 °C to 8 °C, as
Member States can easily convert any volume of mineral oils measured under any ambient temperature to
the volume which corresponds to the standard temperature of 15 °C. Therefore, the Commission is of the
opinion that section 5 of the Finnish act on excise duties on liquid fuels (29 December 1994/1472), which
lays down the principle of taxation at 15 °C,
in principle, compliant with the above-mentioned
Directives.

is,

(1) OJ C 160, 4.7.2002.
(2) OJ L 316, 31.10.1992.
(3) OJ L 283, 31.10.2003.
(4) Council document 14140/03, PV/CONS 60 Add 1, of 24.11.2003.
(5) OJ L 76, 23.3.1992.
(6)

In particular American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Standardisation (ISO) 91/1/1982.

tables or

International Organisation for

(2004/C 88 E/0671)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3880/03

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 December 2003)

Subject: Pet passports

The Commission has set the date for the introduction of pet passports at July 2004. This passport will be
valid as a health certificate for pets and enable the owner to take pets freely throughout the Union, with
the exception of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden. So far any person wishing to travel within the
European Union has to obtain a valid rabies vaccination certificate which is recorded in the pet’s health
booklet in any case.

Will the Commission say how the transport of pets within the EU will be essentially changed by this
measure?

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/655

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(26 January 2004)

Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the
animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals and amending
Council Directive 92/65/EEC (1) is applicable as of 3 July 2003. The Commission Decision establishing a
model passport, applying Article 17 (2) of this Regulation, therefore applies from the same date.

The conditions applying to movements of domestic carnivores are therefore laid down by Regulation (EC)
No 998/2003. The general rule for movements between Member States other than Ireland, Sweden and the
United Kingdom is a current valid vaccination against rabies.

The aim of the passport is to have a single standardised veterinary document at Union level to facilitate
controls on cats, dogs and ferrets circulating within European territory. It is intended to replace the various
existing documents in the Member States, which caused a range of linguistic difficulties and had various
formats, which did not facilitate their use when moving through the Union.

It may be completed by veterinarians in accordance with the animal’s movements. It is a European
veterinary certificate which will accompany the animal throughout its life and on which all events relating
to its health status can be entered.

Finally, the passport will also be of use for movements to Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The
headings corresponding to the particular provisions applying to these three Member States for a period of
five years will therefore need to be completed.

(1) OJ L 146, 13.6.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0672)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3920/03

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject: ECHO

In the light of representations from journalists, will the Commission consider changing its policy so that it
would allow journalists to fly on ECHO flights to Mogadishu, Somalia?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 2004)

The Commission is aware of the arguments put forward by Mr Alberizzi, a correspondent of Corrierre
della Sera, who requested that ECHO Flight should be made available to provide transport to journalists
wishing to travel to Somalia.

As already expressed in its reply to Mr Alberizzi’s open letter (1), the Commission is not in a position to
revise its policy on the use of ECHO Flight. ECHO Flight
is a humanitarian service supporting
humanitarian and rehabilitation projects in Somalia, Northern Kenya and the Democratic Republic of
Congo by transporting staff and cargo required for the implementation of these projects. Given its
humanitarian character, and in order to maintain access to conflict zones, it is of outmost importance that
ECHO Flight demonstrates at all times neutrality and impartiality. Any association with political messages
the missions of politicians, political officials and also journalists may produce, risks putting these basic
principles in jeopardy.

For these reasons, a restrictive policy on the use of ECHO Flight needs to be adhered to.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/pdf_files/letter_echo_flight.pdf