WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/04 by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission. Requirement to keep poultry indoors.
Date: 2004-02-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, animal disease, disease prevention, epidemiology, indoor livestock farming, poultry, poultry farming, veterinary legislation

C 84 E/808

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

As provided for in the EC Treaty, the European Court of Justice can be called upon to review the
7.
legality, ‘inter alia’, of acts of the Council or of the Commission, including therefore the legal instruments
which the Commission is in the process of putting in place. Actions may be brought by a Member State,
the Parliament, the Council or the Commission on grounds of lack of competence, infringement of an
essential procedural requirement,
infringement of the EC Treaty or of any rule of law relating to its
application, or misuse of powers.

(1) COM(2003) 826 final.

(2004/C 84 E/0902)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/04

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(26 February 2004)

Subject: Requirement to keep poultry indoors

On Thursday, 12 February 2004, the executive of the Netherlands Poultry and Eggs Marketing Board
decided to make it compulsory for chickens, turkeys and ducks on poultry farms to be kept indoors. This
measure is intended to prevent possible infection with the avian flu virus during the present bird
migration, which will last until the end of April.

Ought not this measure to be made compulsory immediately throughout the European Union,

1.
in view of the international nature of bird migrations?

2. Will the Commission call on amateur poultry-keepers to adopt the same measures?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(7 April 2004)

The ‘Productschap Pluimvee en Eieren (PPE)’ has, according to the information gathered by the
Commission, asked the Dutch authority if the compulsory locking up of poultry is considered to be a
veterinary necessity as a preventive measure against an infection of avian influenza by migratory birds. The
Dutch authorities have considered this question, but after a balanced deliberation of advantages and
disadvantages did not order compulsory locking up of poultry.

The Commission agrees that measures to prevent and control avian influenza must be risk based, whilst
risk management measures must consider both benefits and costs. Measures aimed at reducing contact of
migratory wild birds with domestic poultry and bio-security measures on poultry farms, including hobby
farms, should in principle reduce the risk of Avian Influenza virus
the
epidemiology of this disease is complex and there are still a lot of unknown factors. There is also
insufficient knowledge and experience indicating if the benefits in terms of reduction of risk of infection of
poultry by wild birds by a draconian measure like locking up poultry in the whole Community outweigh
the undesirable environmental and social consequences and the possible negative impact on animal
welfare.

transmission. However,

In order to improve knowledge on these issues the Commission, following the advice of the Scientific
Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare, has coordinated and co-financed a survey in the
Member States to estimate the prevalence and distribution of Avian Influenza in wild birds and poultry, in
particular as regards the so-called Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza. This survey was conducted in 2003
and will be executed again in 2004. The Commission might forward proposals on the Community’s policy
on avian influenza in the light of the results of these surveys.