WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1234/98 by Ilona GRAENITZ to the Commission. Poultry farming
11. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 386/97 Would the Commission say how the selection procedure is to work, so as to ensure that suitable candidates are elected and that there is a balance amongst the various nationalities? Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (11 June 1998) The EC Treaty provides that the members of the executive board shall be appointed from among people of recognized standing and professional experience in monetary or banking matters by common accord of the governments of the Member States at the level of heads of state or government. The procedure leading to the appointment starts with a recommendation from the Council. In its recommendation the Council takes into account that the nominees must be people of recognized standing and professional experience in monetary or banking matters. The Parliament and the governing council of the European central bank (ECB) are consulted on the recommendation from the Council. When the ECB is being established, i. e. concerning the first executive board, the European monetary institute (EMI) council takes the role of the ECB council (Article 109a (2) of the EC Treaty, Article 50 European system of central banks (ESCB) Statute). Both the Parliament and the EMI council or the ECB governing council, respectively, give their opinion on whether the nominees fulfil the above-mentioned requirements. The Commission has no formal role to play in this procedure. It is to be noted that the heads of state or government at their meeting on 2 May 1998 stated that they will give appropriate weight and consideration, according to a balanced principle of rotation, in their future decisions under Article 109a (2) of the EC Treaty, to the recommendations for nationals of Member States which do not provide members of the executive board appointed in accordance with Article 50 of the ESCB Statute. (98/C 386/135) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1234/98 by Ilona Graenitz (PSE) to the Commission (9 April 1998) Subject: Poultry farming What improvements to the protection of animals in farming, in particular battery farms, has the Commission proposed in the reorientation of agricultural policy in Agenda 2000? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 May 1998) Agenda 2000 (1) does not mention animal welfare specifically, but contains a number of general agricultural policy items, among which is the strengthening of the protection of the environment, including animal protection. The Commission would like to refer to the protocol to the Treaty of Amsterdam which requires the Commission and the Member States to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals in the areas of agriculture, transport, internal market and research. The Commission on 11 March 1998 presented a communication to the Council and a proposal for a new Council directive laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens kept in various systems of rearing (2). (1) COM(97) 2000 final. (2) COM(97) 135 final