WRITTEN QUESTION P-0851/04 by Gianni Vattimo (PSE) to the Commission. Animal welfare.
Date: 2004-03-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, Lombardy, Veneto, animal welfare, application of EU law, calf, derogation from EU law, veterinary legislation

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/895

(2004/C 84 E/0988)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0851/04

by Gianni Vattimo (PSE) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Animal welfare

Italian Legislative Decree No 533 of 30 December 1992 implemented Directive 91/629/EEC (1) laying
down minimum standards for the protection of calves, setting 31 December 2003 as the time limit for the
use of rearing plants consisting of individual boxes or pens built before 1 January 1994.

In note No 600.10/24495/PA/4073 of 22 January 1999 the Directorate-General of the Department of
the Ministry of Health officially made it clear to
Food, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health of
Autonomous Regions and Provinces and to the agricultural sectors concerned that no derogations from
this rule were admissible on the basis of current legislation.

The European Scientific Veterinary Committee considered this way of rearing livestock as particularly
cruel, because of the immobilisation of the animals and the anaemia caused in calves raised for the
production of ‘white meat’. In Italy (cid:1) the third largest European producer after France and the Netherlands
(cid:1) around 470 000 of such animals are raised every year.

In note No 33533/50.03.62 of 14 July 2003 the Veneto Region’s Director of the Animal Health and
Hygiene Service dealing with livestock rearing and production issued a ‘guideline’ stressing that the
envisaged sanctions (fines of between EUR 1 500 and 9 000 and a ban on trading for between one and
three months in the event of a repeat infringement) should not be applied to farmers completing the
production cycle for animals introduced before 31 December 2003 who have demonstrably started work
to adapt structures which do not meet the requirements.

A note from the Lombardy Regional Councillor for Health dated 7 October 2003 referring to the
‘numerous requests’ forwarded by farmers’ organisations, and in order to ‘avoid upsetting the stockbreeding
industry’, considered the justifications offered valid and issued provisions for the completion of the rearing
cycle by 31 August 2004 for farms which by 1 December 2003 had declared to the local health authority
their intention to adapt the farm or to discontinue their activity by the end of the current breeding cycle.
This derogation applies to an estimated 21 % of farms, or almost 800 holdings.

The Piedmont Region, which is just as important for this type of production, has not granted any
derogations from national or European law. It informed farmers of the changes at the appropriate time,
but in practice did not manage to avoid distortions of competition, in view of the decisions taken by
neighbouring regions.

It is estimated that 100 % of plants in Germany had already been adapted two years ago, whilst the figure
for Italy was barely 20 %.

What steps will the Commission take to ensure compliance with Directive 91/629/EEC in the Italian
Regions of Lombardy and the Veneto?

(1) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 28.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 2004)

The Commission has not previously been informed of any particular problems in the Italian regions of
Veneto and Lombardia concerning the implementation of Council Directive 91/629/EEC of 19 November
1991 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves. The Commission will therefore request
information from the Italian authorities with regard to the alleged incomplete compliance with the
Directive in the named regions.