WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3757/97 by John IVERSEN to the Commission. Early marketing premium
C 174/120 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 6. 98 Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (10 December 1997) The question of granting refugee status to asylum seekers in the Member States is the competence of Member States. Nevertheless, a joint position on the harmonised application of the definition of the term árefugeeí in Article 1 of the 1951 Geneva Convention (1), to which the Honourable Member could usefully refer, has been adopted within in the framework of the cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs under Title VI of the Treaty on European union. The very question of people coming from Iraq was raised at the General affairs Council on 6 October 1997, as well as at a meeting of Justice and home affairs ministers in Mondorf on 9-10 October 1997. It is now under examination in the relevant groups of the Council. (1) Joint position of 4 March 1996 defined by the Council on the basis of Article K. 3 of the Treaty on European Union on the harmonised application of the definition of the term írefugeeí in Article 1 of the Geneva convention of 28 July 1951 relating to the status of refugee (OJ L 63, 13. 3. 1996). (98/C 174/184) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3757/97 by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission (17 November 1997) Subject: Early marketing premium In fixing a maximum weight for obtaining the early marketing premium, a slaughter weight of more than 160 kg for calves is used for the Netherlands and Belgium. The definition of a calf is an animal with a slaughter weight of less than 160 kg. It is mathematically impossible to obtain an average which is above the ceiling for the group. How can the Commission justify using a weight from Eurostat which is based on an erroneous use of the 1. definition of a calf? 2. In view of the fact that this error produces distortion of competition, resulting in some 60 000 baby calves being transported every year from Denmark to the Netherlands › in poor conditions for the animalsí welfare as the newborn calves are unsteady on their legs › does the Commission not consider it necessary to rectify the mistake? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (9 December 1997) The definition of a ácalfí for statistical purposes is laid down in Commission Decision 94/433/EC of 30 May 1994 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive 93/24/EEC as regards the statistical surveys on cattle population and production, and amending the said Directive (1). That definition refers to a maximum live weight of 300 kilograms. Slaughter calves with good to excellent conformation will generally yield a carcase weight above 160 kilograms. Consequently, the Commission fails to identify the error referred to in the Honourable Memberís question. With regard to transport of calves Council Directive 91/628/EEC, as amended, provides the necessary protective measures for animals during transport. According to information available to the Commission, Denmark through its national laws complies fully with that Directive. (1) OJ L 179, 13. 7. 1994