91998E2449

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2449/98

by Angela Sierra González (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(30 July 1998)

Subject: Distance between residential areas and livestock farms

The current expansion in intensive livestock farming, involving significant efforts to modernise and adapt to Community legislation, has led to a situation in all Community countries where farm buildings are situated in close proximity to residential areas.

Links between stock-farming and residential activities have therefore become the norm.

Does the Commission believe that the current regulations governing conditions for livestock farming are sufficient to ensure their development in conjunction with residential uses?

What regulations apply in the various countries of the European Union with regard to the preservation of such farms in proximity to rural areas for residential use?

Has the Commission considered the possibility of regulating the coexistence of these two forms of land use (residential and livestock farming) throughout the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 1998)

It is up to Member States and local authorities to take any decision on how close intensive livestock farming can be to a residential area. The Commission does not hold information on Member States' regulations about this.

However, there are certain rules at Community level which may affect what an intensive livestock farmer can do:

- Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources(1) imposes restrictions on the intensity of livestock production when it poses a threat to the quality of surface waters or drinking water;

- Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (amended by 97/11/EEC(2)) requires an environmental impact assessment to be carried out before certain intensive pig or poultry installations can be set up;

- Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control(3) aims at achieving pollution control for industrial installations over a certain size, including in the pig and poultry sector.

The Commission does not consider it appropriate to suggest any harmonising legislation in the area of planning permission, as it considers that this is an area where subsidiarity calls for a very localised approach.

(1) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.