WRITTEN QUESTION E-2490/99 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission. Transport of live animals.
C 219 E/174 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 January 2000) In accordance with Article 11a(3) of Regulation (EC) No 894/97 as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1239/98 of 8 June 1998 amending Regulation (EC) No 894/97 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources (1), every vessel which used driftnets during the reference period set in that Regulation must be taken into account when compliance with the 60 % percentage provided for in paragraph 3 is checked. The Commission has no information to suggest that the rules made explicit in the above Regulations have been infringed. It should also be borne in mind that the article referred to provides for the use of driftnets in tuna fishing to be abolished from 1 January 2002. The elimination of this form of gear is thus guaranteed. (1) OJ L 171, 17. 6. 1998. (2000/C 219 E/222) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2490/99 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Transport of live animals Article 13 of Council Directive 91/628/EC (1) as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EC (2) on the protection of animals during transport requires the Commission to submit a report to the Council, possibly accompanied by proposals, before 31 December 1999. Does the Commission plan to submit the report by the due date and, if not, when does it intend to submit it? There is clear evidence that long journeys lead to very poor treatment and, in some cases, to high levels of mortality of animals. In the light of this, will the Commission, when submitting proposals under Article 13 of Council Directive 91/628/EC, propose that the transport of live farm animals should, where practicable, be replaced by a trade in meat and carcasses? (1) OJ L 340, 11. 12. 1991, p. 17. (2) OJ L 148, 30. 6. 1995, p. 52. Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (28 January 2000) The experience acquired by the Member States is the most valuable source of data concerning the enforcement of Council Directive 95/29/CEE of 29 June 1995 amending Directive 91/628/EEC concerning the protection of animals during transport. The reports that Member States submit to the Commission every year, as provided in Article 8 of Directive 91/628/CE, represent in fact the main source of information regarding the enforcement of the provision concerning the protection of animals during transport. The Commission has reminded all competent authorities to fulfil the provisions of Article 8. The Commissionís food and veterinary office has carried out inspections in different Member States reporting on the situation in relation to the enforcement of Directive 91/628/CE. The Commission has also received official complaints from non-governmental organisations in relation to problems encountered in the enforcement of the Directive in Member States. The report mentioned in Article 13 of the Directive will be presented as soon as possible, taking into account appropriate consideration of all the above-mentioned information. 1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/175 Meanwhile, a working group of the standing veterinary committee has been established in order to identify the difficulties encountered by the authorities in enforcing Community legislation including the collation of the information sent to the Commission by the Member States under Article 8 of the Directive. Concerning the protection of animals during transport, Community legislation is drawn up on the basis of the results of scientific research and practical knowledge, both of which indicate that animal transport is feasible if specific conditions are met. Community animal welfare legislation is under continuous revision in line with new scientific knowledge and practical experience in the field. As recently underlined in the white paper on food safety, adopted on 12 January 2000, the Commission attaches major importance to the issue of animal welfare. (2000/C 219 E/223) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2512/99 by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission (22 December 1999) Subject: Projects selected under the Culture 2000 programme The Commission has selected 55 cultural projects under the Culture 2000 programme, for which over 6 million euros will be made available. Do any of those 55 projects relate to the year 2000 cultural capitals? Of the experimental initiatives selected, five are projects to be implemented in Spain. What are those five projects and has any of them anything to do with Santiago de Compostela? Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission (28 January 2000) With regard to Community cultural programmes, the Commission would remind the Honourable Member that its objective is not to allocate specific aid to one Member State or another but to encourage cultural cooperation by supporting in particular projects which have a European dimension and are carried out under partnership arrangements. The Commission received 410 applications in response to its call for applications áfor experimental measures under the framework programme in support of cultureí published in the Official Journal (1). The Commission selected 55 of these, following consultation of a committee of independent experts represent- ing several cultural disciplines. Only one of these projects relates to the European Cities of Culture. This is the Hotel Europaí project, whose main organiser is Intercult Production (Sweden) and co-organisers are the following associations: Association de Gestion du Festival díAvignon, Bologna 2000, Verein Wiener Festwoche and Rotterdam 2001. Four of the projects selected are organised mainly by a Spanish body: Electronic Map of European Venuesí, identityí, and Pain ü a multidisciplinary and intercultural thematic studyí, Argonauts 2000í. Globalisation and cultural None of these projects has anything to do with Santiago de Compostela, which under the Raphael programme received funding (under the heading of European laboratories) of EUR 150 000 in 1999 and EUR 175 000 in 1998. Furthermore, in 1997, 1996, 1995, and 1994, Santiago de Compostela received funding (under the heading of symbolic projects) of ECU 200 000 per year. (1) OJ C 163, 10. 6. 1999