WRITTEN QUESTION E-2617/99 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Environmental effects of growth in UK sheep numbers.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/27 (2000/C 330 E/029) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2617/99 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission (12 January 2000) Subject: Environmental effects of growth in UK sheep numbers What is the Commissionís assessment of the growth in UK sheep numbers, and of the consequent effects upon habitats and species diversity, since Britain joined the former European Economic Community and became subject to the common agricultural policy? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 February 2000) Sheep numbers in the United Kingdom remained fairly stable in the first years following accession to the Community in 1973 but began to rise steadily in the 1980ís after the commencement of the sheepmeat regime. This period saw a significant development in export opportunities due to easier access to the French market. Between 1980 and 1993 sheep numbers rose by 40 % in the United Kingdom. Following the reform of the sheep regime and introduction of individual limits for producers in 1993, numbers stabilized although they have risen again in 1997 and 1998 in the wake of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis and the resulting increase in demand for lamb. Sheep numbers are expected to decline in 1999 and 2000. Article 5d of Regulation (EEC) No 3013/89 of 25 September 1989 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat (1) has provided a mechanism for the United Kingdom to link the payment of direct support to respect for the environment in so far as sheep production is concerned. The British authorities have indicated that they have made use of this provision in order to avoid problems of overgrazing. This provision has now been greatly strengthened in Article 3 of Regulation 1259/99 in the recent common agricultural policy reform. Community nature conservation legislation (2) also provides a relevant framework for ensuring that sheep stocking levels do not lead to ecological damage in areas of high nature conservation value, included in the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. (1) OJ L 296, 14. 10. 1989. (2) Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds (OJ L 103, 25. 4. 1979) and Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992). (2000/C 330 E/030) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2623/99 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission (12 January 2000) Subject: The state of the development of the Lyon-Turin-Milan-Verona-Venice-Trieste According to forecasts concerning the construction of the TEN Lyon-Trieste route, work on this line should be finished in 2010. In particular, the Turin-Milan section is scheduled to be completed in 2006, the Milan-Verona and Verona-Venice sections in 2008 and the Venice-Trieste section in 2010. This network, one of the 14 trans-European projects in the transport sector to be cofinanced by the Union, represents one of the most important components of the future development of communications within the Union and should also contribute to greatly strengthening links between Member States and the states of central and south-eastern Europe, tackling the problems posed today by the transport of goods by road, in particular the environmental problems in the Alpine region