Commission Regulation (EC) No 2865/94 of 25 November 1994 adopting exceptional support measures for the market in pigmeat in Belgium

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2865/94 of 25 November 1994 adopting exceptional support measures for the market in pigmeat in Belgium
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75 of 29 October 1975 on the common organization of the market in pigmeat (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1249/89 (2), and in particular Article 20 and the second paragraph of Article 22  thereof,
Whereas, because of the outbreak of classical swine fever in certain production regions in Belgium, protection and surveillance zones have been established by the Belgian authorities pursuant to Article 9 of Council Directive 80/217/EEC of 22 January  1980 introducing Community measures for the control of classical swine fever (3), as last amended by Decision 93/384/EEC (4); whereas, consequently, in these zones the trade in live pigs, fresh pigmeat and pigmeat products which have not been subjected  to heat treatment is temporarily prohibited;
Whereas restrictions on the free movement of goods resulting from the application of veterinary measures are likely to bring about a serious distrubance of the pigmeat market in Belgium; whereas exceptional market support measures, to apply for no  longer than is strictly necessary, must accordingly be adopted with respect solely to live animals from the affected areas;
Whereas, with the aim of preventing a further spread of the disease, the pigs produced in the said zones should be separated from normal trade in products intended for human consumption and processed into products intended for uses other than human  consumption, while giving the Belgian authorities the opportunity to organize buying-in according to the needs resulting from the veterinary and sanitary situation in the affected zones;
Whereas a buying-in price should be fixed at which piglets and live pigs in the protection and surveillance zones are to be taken over by the intervention agency; whereas the locations where the animals can be killed should be specified;
Whereas in view of the extent of the disease and, in particular, of its duration, and consequently of the magnitude of the efforts needed to support the market, in would be appropriate for such efforts to be shared by the Community and the Member State  concerned;
Whereas provision should be made for the Belgian authorities to adopt all necessary control and surveillance measures and to inform the Commission accordingly;
Whereas the restrictions on the free movement of live pigs have been operative for several weeks now in the zones in question, provoking a substantial increase in the weight of the animals and consequently leading to an intolerable situation where the  welfare of the animals is concerned; whereas retroactive application of this Regulation from 14 November 1994 as regards the purchase of fattened pigs and from 25 October 1994 for the purchase of piglets, is therefore justified;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the Management Committee for Pigmeat,