WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3702/98 by Gerhard HAGER to the Commission. Twinning partnership programme
21. 7. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 207/111 The Commission has indicated its willingness to cooperate with the Lithuanian government in the preparation of a comprehensive energy strategy. This should include consideration of the consequences resulting from the closure of the plant. Provided Lithuania commits itself to an acceptable closure timetable, support financing can be made available from the Community budget. Any future Phare funds for the Lithuanian energy sector will be conditional upon the adoption of a national energy strategy in line with the NSA agreement, confirmation of the commitment not to rechannel and the adoption of a realistic closure timetable. (1999/C 207/150) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3694/98 by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission (7 December 1998) Subject: The stunning of poultry for slaughter Directive 93/119 (1) permits the customary waterbath method for the stunning of poultry. However, in recent years methods of gas stunning of poultry have been developed which result in an improved quality end product and better guarantees of animal welfare. Some of these methods are based on two research projects financed by the EU: AIR 3 Project CT94-0885 and Volair EU 113711. Can the Commission confirm that the gas stunning of poultry can produce better results, in terms of 1. both product quality and animal welfare, than the waterbath method? 2. Can the Commission indicate when it will implement Article 13(2)(b) and (c) of the Directive which states that the Commission shall submit, no later than 31 December 1995, proposals concerning the gas stunning of animals? Does the Commission agree that speed is of the essence in submitting these proposals from the economic 3. point of view and, more importantly, from the point of view of animal welfare? (1) OJ L 340, 31. 12. 1993, p. 21. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (20 January 1999) In June 1998 the scientific committee on animal health and animal welfare reported on the use of mixtures of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen for stunning or killing poultry (1). The report showed that, in comparison with electricity, the use of combinations of these gases can improve the quality of the meat and the welfare of the animals. Based on the opinion of the scientific veterinary committee, the Commission is preparing a proposal for the stunning and killing of animals, which should be presented shortly. (1) http://europa. eu. int/comm. dg24/health/sc/scah/outcome. (1999/C 207/151) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3702/98 by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission (7 December 1998) Subject: Twinning partnership programme According to information in the press, the first national officials of the Member States will be sent to the ministries of the candidate countries in January 1999 to help them build administrative and institutional capacities. These transfers are, it is said, to be confined to the areas of agriculture, the environment, finances and justice and home affairs, with the Commission ensuring coordination of the partnerships on the basis of the projects proposed by the CEEC and the corresponding offers made by the Member States