Proposal for a Council Directive laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs (Codified version)
Date: 2006-11-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European standard, codification of EU law, health legislation, swine, veterinary legislation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 8.11.2006 
COM(2006) 669 final 

2006/0224 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 

laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs 

(Codified version) 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

In  the  context  of  a  people’s  Europe,  the  Commission  attaches  great  importance  to 
simplifying  and  clarifying  Community  law  so  as  to  make  it  clearer  and  more 
accessible to the ordinary citizen, thus giving him new opportunities and the chance 
to make use of the specific rights it gives him. 

This aim cannot be achieved so long as numerous provisions that have been amended 
several times, often quite substantially, remain scattered, so that they must be sought 
partly  in  the  original  instrument  and  partly  in  later  amending  ones.  Considerable 
research work, comparing many different instruments, is thus needed to identify the 
current rules. 

For  this  reason  a  codification  of  rules  that  have  frequently  been  amended  is  also 
essential if Community law is to be clear and transparent. 

On  1  April  1987  the  Commission  therefore  decided1  to  instruct  its  staff  that  all 
legislative acts should be codified after no more than ten amendments, stressing that 
this  is  a  minimum  requirement  and  that  departments  should  endeavour  to  codify  at 
even  shorter  intervals  the  texts  for  which  they  are  responsible,  to  ensure  that  the 
Community rules are clear and readily understandable. 

The  Conclusions  of 
the  Edinburgh  European  Council 
(December 1992) confirmed this2, stressing the importance of codification as it offers 
certainty as to the law applicable to a given matter at a given time. 

the  Presidency  of 

Codification  must  be  undertaken  in  full  compliance  with  the  normal  Community 
legislative procedure. 

Given  that  no  changes  of  substance  may  be  made  to  the  instruments  affected  by 
codification, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have agreed, 
by  an  interinstitutional  agreement  dated  20  December  1994,  that  an  accelerated 
procedure may be used for the fast-track adoption of codification instruments. 

is 

this  proposal 

to  undertake  a  codification  of  Council 
The  purpose  of 
Directive 91/630/EEC of 19 November 1991 laying down minimum standards for the 
protection of pigs3. The new Directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in 
it4; this proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does 
no  more  than  bringing  them  together  with  only  such  formal  amendments  as  are 
required by the codification exercise itself. 

The codification proposal was drawn up on the basis of a preliminary consolidation, 
in all official languages, of Directive 91/630/EEC and the instruments amending it, 
carried out by the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, by 
means  of  a  data-processing  system.  Where  the  Articles  have  been  given  new 

COM(87) 868 PV. 
See Annex 3 to Part A of the Conclusions. 
Carried out pursuant to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the 
Council – Codification of the Acquis communautaire, COM(2001) 645 final. 
See Annex II, Part A of this proposal. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

1 
2 
3 

4 

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numbers,  the  correlation  between  the  old  and  the  new  numbers  is  shown  in  a  table 
contained in Annex III to the codified Directive. 

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(cid:208) 91/630/EEC (adapted) 

2006/0224 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 

laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article ⌦ 37 ⌫ thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament5, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

Council Directive 91/630/EEC of 19 November 1991 laying down minimum standards 
for  the  protection  of  pigs6  has  been  substantially  amended  several  times7.  In  the 
interests of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified. 

(cid:208)  

(2)  ⌦ Most ⌫ Member States have ratified the European Convention for the protection 
of  animals  kept  for  farming  purposes.  The  Community  has  also  approved  this 
Convention by Council Decision 78/923/EEC8. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC Recital 1 (adapted) 

(3) 

Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of animals kept 
for  farming  purposes9  establishes  Community  provisions  applying  to  all  farmed 
animals in relation to construction requirements for animal housing, insulation, heating 
and  ventilation  conditions,  equipment  inspection  and  inspection  of  livestock.  It  is 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Recital 2 (adapted) 

5 
6 

7 
8 
9 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 33. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 
16.5.2003, p. 1). 
See Annex II, Part A. 
OJ L 323, 17.11.1978, p. 12. 
OJ L 221, 8.8.1998, p. 23. Directive as amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003. 

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therefore  necessary  to  deal  with  these  matters  in  ⌦ this ⌫  Directive  when  more 
detailed requirements have to be established. 

(4) 

Pigs, being live animals, are included in the list of products set out in Annex I to the 
Treaty. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC Recital 3 

(5) 

The keeping of pigs is an integral part of agriculture. It constitutes a source of revenue 
for part of the agricultural population. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC Recital 4 

(6) 

Differences  which  may  distort  conditions  of  competition  interfere  with  the  smooth 
running of the organisation of the common market in pigs and pig products. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC Recital 5 

(7) 

There is therefore a need to establish common minimum standards for the protection 
of  pigs  kept  for  rearing  and  fattening  in  order  to  ensure  rational  development  of 
production. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC Recital 6 

(8) 

Pigs should benefit from an environment corresponding to their needs for exercise and 
investigatory  behaviour.  The  welfare  of  pigs  appears  to  be  compromised  by  severe 
restrictions of space. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Recital 4 (adapted) 

(9)  When pigs are kept in groups, appropriate management measures for their protection 

should be taken to improve their welfare. 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Recital 3 

(10)  Sows prefer to have social interactions with other pigs when provided with freedom of 
movement  and  environmental  complexity.  The  current  practice  of  keeping  sows  in 
continuous close confinement should therefore be prohibited. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Recital 5 (adapted) 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Recital 4 

(11)  Tail-docking, tooth-clipping and tooth-grinding are likely to cause immediate pain and 
some  prolonged  pain  to  pigs.  Castration  is  likely  to  cause  prolonged  pain  which  is 
worse if there is tearing of the tissues. Those practices are therefore detrimental to the 
welfare  of  pigs,  especially  when  carried  out  by  incompetent  and  inexperienced 
persons. As consequence, rules should be laid down to ensure better practices. 

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(12)  A balance must be kept between the various aspects to be taken into consideration, as 
regarding  welfare  including  health,  economic  and  social  considerations,  and  also 
environmental impact. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Recital 6 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC Recital 7 (adapted) 

(13) 

It  is  necessary  for  official  services,  producers,  consumers  and  others  to  be  kept 
informed of developments in this field. The Commission should therefore, on the basis 
of  ⌦ an  opinion ⌫  from  the  European  Food  Safety  Authority,  actively  pursue 
scientific  research  into  the  best  pig-rearing  system(s)  from  the  point  of  view  of  pig 
welfare.  Provision  should  accordingly  be  made  for  an  interim  period  to  enable  the 
Commission to complete this task successfully. 

(cid:208)  

(14)  The measures necessary for the implementation of this Directive should be adopted in 
accordance  with  Council  Decision  1999/468/EC  of  28  June  1999  laying  down  the 
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission10. 

(15)  This  Directive  should  be  without  prejudice  to  the  obligations  of  the  Member  States 
relating to the time-limits for transposition into national law of the Directives set out in 
Annex II, Part B, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC 

This  Directive  lays  down  the  minimum  standards  for  the  protection  of  pigs  confined  for 
rearing and fattening. 

Article 1 

For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions shall apply: 

Article 2 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

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‘pig’  means  an  animal  of  the  porcine  species,  of  any  age,  kept  for  breeding  or 
fattening; 

‘boar’ means a male pig after puberty, intended for breeding; 

‘gilt’ means a female pig after puberty and before farrowing; 

OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L 200, 22.7.2006, p. 
11). 

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(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

‘sow’ means a female pig after the first farrowing; 

‘farrowing sow’ means a female pig between the perinatal period and the weaning of 
the piglets; 

‘dry  pregnant  sow’  means  a  sow  between  weaning  her  piglets  and  the  perinatal 
period; 

‘piglet’ means a pig from birth to weaning; 

‘weaner’ means a pig from weaning to the age of ten weeks; 

‘rearing pig’ means a pig from ten weeks to slaughter or service; 

(10) 

‘competent  authority’  means  a  competent  authority  within  the  meaning  of 
Article 2(6) of Council Directive 90/425/EEC11. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 1 

Article 3 

1. Member States shall ensure that all holdings comply with the following requirements: 

(a) 

the unobstructed floor area available to each weaner or rearing pig kept in a group, 
excluding gilts after service and sows, must be at least: 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 1 
(adapted) 

Live weight (kg) 

⌦ Not more than 10 ⌫ 

⌦ More  than  10  but  not  more  than 

20 ⌫ 

⌦ More  than  20  but  not  more  than 

30 ⌫ 

⌦ More  than  30  but  not  more  than 

50 ⌫ 

⌦ More  than  50  but  not  more  than 

85 ⌫ 

⌦ More  than  85  but  not  more  than 

110 ⌫ 

m2 

0,15 

0,20 

0,30 

0,40 

0,55 

0,65 

11 

OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.  

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More than 110 

1,00 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 1 

(b) 

the total unobstructed floor area available to each gilt after service and to each sow 
when  gilts  and/or  sows  are  kept  in  groups  must  be  at  least  1,64  m2  and  2,25  m2 
respectively. When these animals are kept in groups of fewer than six individuals the 
unobstructed floor area must be increased by 10%. When these animals are kept in 
groups  of  40  or  more  individuals  the  unobstructed  floor  area  may  be  decreased  by 
10%. 

2. Member States shall ensure that flooring surfaces comply with the following requirements: 

(a) 

for  gilts  after  service  and  pregnant  sows:  a  part  of  the  area  required  in 
paragraph 1(b), equal to at least 0,95 m2 per gilt and at least 1,3 m2 per sow, must be 
of  continuous  solid  floor  of  which  a  maximum  of  15%  is  reserved  for  drainage 
openings; 

(b) 

when concrete slatted floors are used for pigs kept in groups: 

(i) 

the maximum width of the openings must be: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

11 mm for piglets, 

14 mm for weaners, 

18 mm for rearing pigs, 

20 mm for gilts after service and sows; 

(ii) 

the minimum slat width must be: 

– 

– 

50 mm for piglets and weaners, and 

80 mm for rearing pigs, gilts after service and sows. 

3. Member States shall ensure that the construction of or conversion to installations in which 
sows and gilts are tethered is prohibited. From 1 January 2006 the use of tethers for sows and 
gilts shall be prohibited. 

4. Member States shall ensure that sows and gilts are kept in groups during a period starting 
from four weeks after the service to one week before the expected time of farrowing. The pen 
where  the  group  is  kept  must  have  sides  greater  than  2,8  m  in  length.  When  fewer  than  six 
individuals are kept in a group the pen where the group is kept must have sides greater than 
2,4 m in length. 

By  way  of  derogation  from  the  first  subparagraph,  sows  and  gilts  raised  on  holdings  with 
fewer  than  10  sows  may  be  kept  individually  during  the  period  mentioned  in  that 
subparagraph, provided that they can turn around easily in their boxes. 

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5. Member States shall ensure that, without prejudice to the requirements laid down in Annex 
I, sows and gilts have permanent access to manipulable material at least complying with the 
relevant requirements of that Annex. 

6. Member States shall ensure that sows and gilts kept in groups are fed using a system which 
ensures that each individual can obtain sufficient food even when competitors for the food are 
present. 

7.  Member  States  shall  ensure  that  all  dry  pregnant  sows  and  gilts,  in  order  to  satisfy  their 
hunger and given the need to chew, are given a sufficient quantity of bulky or high-fibre food 
as well as high-energy food. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 1 
(adapted) 

8. Member States shall ensure that pigs that have to be kept in groups, that are ⌦ particularly 
aggressive ⌫,  that  have  been  attacked  by  other  pigs  or  that  are  sick  or  injured  may 
temporarily  be  kept  in  individual  pens.  In  this  case  the  individual  pen  used  shall  allow  the 
animal to turn around easily if this is not in contradiction with specific veterinary advice. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 1 

9. The provisions laid down in paragraphs 1(b), 2, 4, 5 and the last sentence of paragraph 8 
shall apply to all holdings newly built or rebuilt or brought into use for the first time after 1 
January 2003. From 1 January 2013 those provisions shall apply to all holdings. 

The provisions laid down in the first subparagraph of paragraph 4 shall not apply to holdings 
with fewer than ten sows. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC (adapted) 

Article 4 

Member  States  shall  ensure  that  the  conditions  for  rearing  pigs  comply  with  the  general 
provisions laid down in Annex I. 

The  provisions  of  Annex  I  may  be  amended  in  accordance  with  the  procedure  ⌦ referred 
to ⌫ in Article 11(2), in order to take account of scientific progress. 

Article 5 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 2 

Member States shall ensure that: 

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Article 6 

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(a) 

(b) 

any person who employs or engages persons to attend to pigs ensures that the person 
attending  to  the  animals  has  received  instructions  and  guidance  on  the  relevant 
provisions of Article 3 and Annex I; 

appropriate  training  courses  are  available.  In  particular  such  training  courses  must 
focus on welfare aspects. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 3 
(adapted) 

Article 7 

1. Preferably before 1 January 2005 and in any event by 1 July 2005, the Commission shall 
submit  to  the  Council  a  report,  drawn  up  on  the  basis  of  an  opinion  from  the ⌦ European 
Food  Safety  Authority ⌫.  The  report  shall  be  drawn  up  taking  into  account  the  socio-
economic  consequences,  the  sanitary  consequences,  the  environmental  effects  and  different 
climatic conditions. It shall also take into account the development of techniques and systems 
of pig production and meat processing which would be likely to reduce the need to resort to 
surgical  castration.  If  need  be,  the  report  shall  be  accompanied  by  appropriate  legislative 
proposals on the effects of different space allowances and floor types applicable to the welfare 
of weaners and rearing pigs. The Council shall act on these proposals by a qualified majority. 

2. Not later than 1 January 2008 the Commission shall submit to the Council a report, drawn 
up on the basis of an opinion from the ⌦ European Food Safety Authority ⌫. 

(cid:208) 2001/88/EC Art. 1 pt. 3 

The report shall cover in particular: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

the  effects  of  stocking  density,  including  group  size  and  methods  of  grouping  the 
animals, in different farming systems on the welfare, including health, of pigs; 

the  impact  of  stall  design  and  different  flooring  types  on  the  welfare,  including 
health, of pigs, taking into account different climatic conditions; 

the risk factors associated with tail biting and recommendations to reduce the need 
for tail docking; 

further  developments  of  group-housing  systems  for  pregnant  sows,  taking  account 
both  of  pathological,  zootechnical,  physiological  and  ethological  aspects  of  the 
various  systems  and  of  their  health  and  environmental  impact  and  of  the  different 
climatic conditions; 

the determination of space requirements, including the service area for individually 
housed adult breeding boars; 

further  developments  of  loose-house  systems  for  sows  in  the  service  area  and  for 
farrowing  sows  which  meet  the  needs  of  the  sow  without  compromising  piglet 
survival; 

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(g) 

(h) 

consumers' attitudes and behaviour towards pigmeat in the event of different levels 
of improvement in the welfare of the animals; 

socio-economic implications of the various systems of rearing pigs and their effects 
on the Community's economic partners. 

The report may, if necessary, be accompanied by appropriate legislative proposals. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC 

Article 8 

1. Member States shall ensure that inspections are carried out under the responsibility of the 
competent authority in order to check that the provisions of this Directive are being complied 
with. 

These  inspections,  which  may  be  carried  out  on  the  occasion  of  checks  made  for  other 
purposes,  shall  each  year  cover  a  statistically  representative  sample  of  the  different  rearing 
systems used in each Member State. 

2.  The  Commission  shall,  in  accordance  with  the  procedure  ⌦ referred  to ⌫  in  Article 
11(2),  draw  up  a  code  of  rules  to  be  applied  in  carrying  out  the  inspections  provided  for  in 
paragraph 1 ⌦ of this Article ⌫. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC (adapted) 

3. Every two years, by the last working day in April and for the first time by 30 April 1996, 
Member  States  shall  inform  the  Commission  of  the  results  of  the  inspections  carried  out 
during  the  previous  two  years  in  accordance  with  this  Article,  including  the  number  of 
inspections carried out in proportion to the number of holdings in their territory. 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC 

Article 9 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC (adapted) 

⌦ In order to be imported into the Community, animals coming from a third country must be 
accompanied by a certificate issued by the competent authority of that country, certifying that 
they  have  received  treatment  at  least  equivalent  to  that  granted  to  animals  of  Community 
origin as provided for by this Directive. ⌫ 

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(cid:208) 91/630/EEC 

Article 10 

Veterinary experts from the Commission may, where necessary for the uniform application of 
this Directive, carry out on-the-spot checks in cooperation with the competent authorities. The 
persons  carrying  out  these  checks  shall  implement  the  special  personal  hygiene  measures 
necessary to exclude any risk of transmission of disease. 

The  Member  State  in  the  territory  of  which  a  check  is  being  carried  out  shall  give  all 
necessary assistance to the experts in carrying out their duties. The Commission shall inform 
the competent authority of the Member State concerned of the results of the checks. 

The competent authority of the Member State concerned shall take any measures which may 
prove necessary to take account of the results of the check. 

With  regard  to  relations  with  third  countries,  the  provisions  of  Chapter  III  of  Council 
Directive 91/496/EEC12 shall apply. 

General  rules  for  the  application  of  this  Article  shall  be  adopted  in  accordance  with  the 
procedure ⌦ referred to ⌫ in Article 11(2). 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC (adapted) 

(cid:208) 806/2003 Art. 3 and Annex III 
pt. 26 

Article 11 

1.  The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  the  Standing  Committee  on  the  Food  Chain  and 
Animal Health set up pursuant to Article 58 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council13, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’. 

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall 
apply. 

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months. 

3. The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure. 

12 
13 

OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56. 
OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1. 

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(cid:208) 91/630/EEC (adapted) 

Article 12 

Member  States  may,  in  compliance  with  the  general  rules  of  the  Treaty,  maintain  or  apply 
within their territories stricter provisions for the protection of pigs than those laid down in this 
Directive. They shall inform the Commission of any such measures. 

(cid:208)  

Article 13 

Directive 91/630/EEC, as amended by the Acts listed in Annex II, Part A, is repealed, without 
prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time-limits for transposition 
into national law of the Directives set out in Annex II, Part B. 

References  to  the  repealed  Directive  shall  be  construed  as  references  to  this  Directive  and 
shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex III. 

This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

Article 14 

(cid:208) 91/630/EEC 

Article 15 

This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 

ANNEX I 

CHAPTER I 

GENERAL CONDITIONS 

In  addition  to  the  relevant  provisions  of  the  Annex  to  Directive  98/58/EC,  the  following 
requirements apply: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

In  the  part  of  the  building  where  pigs  are  kept  continuous  noise  levels  as  loud  as 
85 dBA shall be avoided. Constant or sudden noise shall be avoided. 

Pigs must be kept in light with an intensity of at least 40 lux for a minimum period of 
eight hours per day. 

The  accommodation  for  pigs  must  be  constructed  in  such  a  way  as  to  allow  the 
animals to: 

– 

– 

– 

have  access  to  a  lying  area  physically  and  thermally  comfortable  as  well  as 
adequately  drained  and  clean  which  allows  all  the  animals  to  lie  at  the  same 
time, 

rest and get up normally, 

see  other  pigs;  however,  in  the  week  before  the  expected  farrowing  time  and 
during farrowing, sows and gilts can be kept out of the sight of conspecifics. 

Notwithstanding  Article  3(5),  pigs  must  have  permanent  access  to  a  sufficient 
quantity of material to enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, such 
as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such, which 
does not compromise the health of the animals. 

Floors  must  be  smooth  but  not  slippery  so  as  to  prevent  injury  to  the  pigs  and  so 
designed, constructed and maintained as not to cause injury or suffering to pigs. They 
must be suitable for the size and weight of the pigs and, if no litter is provided, form 
a rigid, even and stable surface. 

All  pigs  must  be  fed  at  least  once  a  day.  Where  pigs  are  fed  in  groups  and  not 
ad libitum or by an automatic system feeding the animals individually, each pig must 
have access to the food at the same time as the others in the group. 

All pigs over two weeks of age must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity 
of fresh water. 

All  procedures  intended  as  an  intervention  carried  out  for  other  than  therapeutic  or 
diagnostic purposes or for the identification of the pigs in accordance with relevant 

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legislation and resulting in damage to or the loss of a sensitive part of the body or the 
alteration of bone structure shall be prohibited with the following exceptions: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

a uniform reduction of corner teeth of piglets by grinding or clipping not later 
than  the  seventh  day  of  life  of  the  piglets  leaving  an  intact  smooth  surface; 
boars'  tusks  may  be  reduced  in  length  where  necessary  to  prevent  injuries  to 
other animals or for safety reasons, 

docking of a part of the tail, 

castration of male pigs by other means than tearing of tissues, 

nose ringing only when the animals are kept in outdoor husbandry systems and 
in compliance with national legislation. 

Neither tail docking nor reduction of corner teeth must be carried out routinely but 
only where there is evidence that injuries to sows' teats or to other pigs' ears or tails 
have occurred. Before carrying out these procedures, other measures shall be taken to 
prevent  tail-biting  and  other  vices,  taking  into  account  environment  and  stocking 
densities.  For  this  reason  inadequate  environmental  conditions  or  management 
systems must be changed. 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 (adapted) 

Any of the procedures described above shall only be carried out by a veterinarian or 
a person trained as provided in Article ⌦ 6 ⌫ and experienced in performing the 
applied  techniques  with  appropriate  means  and  under  hygienic  conditions.  If 
castration or docking of tails is practised after the seventh day of life, it shall only be 
performed under anaesthetic and additional prolonged analgesia by a veterinarian. 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 

CHAPTER II 

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS FOR VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF 
PIGS 

A. 

BOARS 

Boar pens must be sited and constructed so as to allow the boar to turn round and to 
hear, smell and see other pigs. The unobstructed floor area available to an adult boar 
must be at least 6 m2. 

Where pens are also used for natural service the floor area available to an adult boar 
must be at least of 10 m2 and the pen must be free of any obstacles. 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 (adapted) 

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B. 

SOWS AND GILTS 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 

1.  Measures shall be taken to minimise aggression in groups. 

2. 

3. 

Pregnant  sows  and  gilts  must,  if  necessary,  be  treated  against  external  and 
internal  parasites.  If  they  are  placed  in  farrowing  crates,  pregnant  sows  and 
gilts must be thoroughly cleaned. 

In the week before the expected farrowing time sows and gilts must be given 
suitable  nesting  material  in  sufficient  quantity  unless  it  is  not  technically 
feasible for the slurry system used in the establishment. 

4.  An unobstructed area behind the sow or gilt must be available for the ease of 

natural or assisted farrowing. 

5. 

Farrowing pens where sows are kept loose must have some means of protecting 
the piglets, such as farrowing rails. 

C. 

PIGLETS 

1.  A part of the total floor, sufficient to allow the animals to rest together at the 
same time, must be solid or covered with a mat, or be littered with straw or any 
other suitable material. 

2.  Where  a  farrowing  crate  is  used,  the  piglets  must  have  sufficient  space  to  be 

able to be suckled without difficulty. 

3.  No piglets shall be weaned from the sow at less than 28 days of age unless the 
welfare  or  health  of  the  dam  or  the  piglet  would  otherwise  be  adversely 
affected. 

However,  piglets  may  be  weaned  up  to  seven  days  earlier  if  they  are  moved 
into  specialised  housings  which  are  emptied  and  thoroughly  cleaned  and 
disinfected  before  the  introduction  of  a  new  group  and  which  are  separated 
from  housings  where  sows  are  kept,  in  order  to  minimise  the  transmission  of 
diseases to the piglets. 

D. 

WEANERS AND REARING PIGS 

1.  When  pigs  are  kept  in  groups  measures  must  be  taken  to  prevent  fighting 

which goes beyond normal behaviour. 

2. 

They  should  be  kept  in  groups  with  as  little  mixing  as  possible.  If  pigs 
unfamiliar with one another have to be mixed, this should be done at as young 
an age as possible,  preferably before  or up  to one week after weaning. When 
pigs  are  mixed  they  shall  be  provided  with  adequate  opportunities  to  escape 
and hide from other pigs. 

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(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 (adapted) 

3.  When  signs  of  severe  fighting  appear  the  causes  shall  be  immediately 
investigated and appropriate measures taken, such as providing plentiful straw 
to the animals, if possible, or other materials for investigation. Animals at risk 
or ⌦ particularly aggressive animals ⌫ shall be kept separate from the group. 

4. 

The  use  of  tranquillising  medicaments  in  order  to  facilitate  mixing  shall  be 
limited 
to  exceptional  conditions  and  only  after  consultation  with  a 
veterinarian. 

(cid:208) 2001/93/EC Art. 1 

__________ 

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(cid:207) 

ANNEX II 

Part A 

Repealed Directive with its successive amendments 
(referred to in Article 13) 

Council Directive 91/630/EEC 
(OJ L 340, 11.12.1991, p. 33) 

Council Directive 2001/88/EC 
(OJ L 316, 1.12.2001, p. 1) 

Commission Directive 2001/93/EC 
(OJ L 316, 1.12.2001, p. 36) 

Council Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 
(OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1) 

only Annex III, point 26 

Part B 

List of time-limits for transposition into national law 
(referred to in Article 13) 

Directives 

Time-limit for transposition 

91/630/EEC 

2001/88/EC 

2001/93/EC 

1 January 1994 

1 January 2003 

1 January 2003 

_____________ 

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ANNEX III 

CORRELATION TABLE 

Directive 91/630/EEC 

This Directive 

Articles 1 and 2 

Articles 1 and 2 

Article 3, introductory wording 

_____ 

Article 3, point 1 

Article 3, point 2 

Article 3, point 3 

Article 3, point 4(a) 

Article 3, point 4(b) 

Article 3, point 5 

Article 3, point 6 

Article 3, point 7 

Article 3, point 8 

Article 3, point 9 

Article 3(1) 

Article 3(2) 

Article 3(3) 

Article 3(4), first subparagraph 

Article 3(4), second subparagraph 

Article 3(5) 

Article 3(6) 

Article 3(7) 

Article 3(8) 

Article 3(9) 

Article 4(1), first subparagraph 

Article 4 

Article 4(1), second subparagraph 

Article 4(2) 

Article 5 

_____ 

_____ 

Article 5 

Article 5a, introductory wording 

Article 6, introductory wording 

Article 5a, point 1 

Article 5a, point 2 

Article 6 

Article 7 

Article 8 

Article 9 

Article 6(a) 

Article 6(b) 

Article 7 

Article 8 

Article 9 

Article 10 

EN 

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Article 10 

Article 11(1) 

Article 11(2) 

_____ 

_____ 

Article 12 

Annex 

_____ 

_____ 

Article 11 

_____ 

Article 12 

Article 13 

Article 14 

Article 15 

Annex I 

Annex II 

Annex III 

_____________ 

EN 

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