WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3585/97 by Kirsten JENSEN to the Commission. Standing Committee on Plant Health
C 158/158 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 5. 98 The calf processing premium is fully compatible with Directive 91/628/EEC on the protection of animals during transport (1) if the transport of the animals is done in accordance with the provisions of the Directive. The Commission has examined in depth the possibility of stopping the transport of these calves and the conclusion is that such a measure would encounter serious objections under the concept of free movement of goods if all the Community provisions regarding the transport of animals are respected. When Member States agreed in October 1996 to measures to redress the beef balance, an early marketing premium was introduced which was designed to reduce red meat production by encouraging veal producers to reduce the final weight of calves used for veal production while at the same time increasing the actual number of calves used. Each Member State can choose to apply either the calf processing or the early marketing premium. (1) OJ L 340, 11. 12. 1991, as amended by Directive 95/29/EC, OJ L 148, 30. 6. 1995. (98/C 158/210) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3585/97 by Kirsten Jensen (PSE) to the Commission (13 November 1997) Subject: Standing Committee on Plant Health Can the Commission say which organizations are represented on the Standing Committee on Plant Health? The European Federation of Agricultural Workers (EFA) has called for some time now to be represented on this committee. Can the Commission say why the EFA has still not yet become a member of the committee? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (18 December 1997) The standing committee on plant health was set up by Council Decision 76/894/EEC of 23 November 1976 (1), and consists of representatives of Member States with a Commission representative in the chair. The committee carries out the functions delegated to it in the measures adopted by Council in respect of plant health, in the circumstances and in accordance with the terms laid down in the decision. Several directives, such as Directive 79/117/EEC prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain active substances (2) and Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (3), have provided a mandate to the Commission for taking certain measures in accordance with the regulatory committee procedure. The standing committee on plant health gives its opinion on the draft measures proposed by the Commission in the framework of this decision making procedure. Participation of representatives of professional organisations in this committee is not envisaged. Consultation of the professional organisations is however organised within the advisory committees which have been set up by the Commission for the main sectors of Community agriculture. The establishment of a permanent working group for phytosanitary questions is included in the planned restructuring of these committees. (1) OJ L 340, 9. 12. 1976. (2) OJ L 33, 8. 2. 1979. (3) OJ L 230, 19. 8. 1991