WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2480/97 by Phillip WHITEHEAD to the Commission. Humane trapping standards between EC, Russia and Canada, and ECO-label
3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 102/47 Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (11 September 1997) The Natura 2000 network will be set up in three phases. The Member States will propose sites; the 1. Commission will adopt the list of sites of Community importance, in agreement with the Member States; the Member States will designate these sites as special areas of conservation. During the first phase, now under way, it falls to each biogeographical region to determine the list of selected sites together with their geographical coordinates. In exceptional cases, where to make information public could compromise the aim of conserving a species, the Member State concerned sends that information to the Commission only in printed form. The relevant data is not entered into a computer. Responsibility for dialogue with each landowner involved lies with the Member States. For its part, the 2. Commission tries to inform the various socio-economic groups and representational bodies about the creation of the Natura 2000 network and its practical implications. In particular, it publishes an information letter, which reaches a wide audience. Regulation (EC) No 1404/96 of 15 July 1996 amending Regulation (EC) No 1973/92 establishing a 3. financial instrument for the environment (Life) (1) provided a reference amount of ECU 450 million for the period 1996-99. Annual amounts have to fit in with the limits of the financial perspective. Article 7(3) of the Regulation stipulates that the reference amount is to be examined by the Council before 31 December 1997 on the basis of a report to be forwarded by the Commission before 30 September 1997. At this stage, and in view of the tight nature of the current financial perspective, the Commission does not envisage asking for the reference amount laid down in the Regulation to be increased. (1) OJ L 181, 20. 7. 1996. (98/C 102/66) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2480/97 by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission (16 July 1997) Subject: Humane trapping standards between EC, Russia and Canada, and ECO-label Does the Commission consider that, while humane trapping standards are being developed there could be a case for developing a European-wide label indicating that a product is animal-testing-free? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (24 September 1997) The Commission points out to the Honourable Member that no direct link can be made between the existence of humane trapping standards stemming from the agreement between the Community, Canada and the Russian Federation, as approved by the Council on 22 July 1997, and the case for a label indicating that a product has not been tested on animals. These are in fact two different problem areas, the first specifically concerned with the trapping of animals and the second relating to scientific experimentation on animals. As regards the second topic, Community legislation chiefly consists of Directive 86/609/EEC regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (1) and, in the cosmetics field, by Directive 76/768/EEC relating to cosmetic products (2). (1) OJ L 358, 18. 12. 1986. (2) OJ L 261, 27. 9. 1976