91998E3313

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3313/98

by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 November 1998)

Subject: British quarantine

Is the Commission aware that the British government has sought and obtained an opinion from a committee of experts chaired by Professor Ian Kennedy?

Does the Commission share the opinion of that committee that in fact quarantine does not protect public or animal health?

Has the Commission also taken note of the committee's proposal to grant only residents of the United Kingdom unimpeded entry to, and exit from, the country?

Does not the Commission regard this proposal and the quarantine system - which serves no public or animal health purpose - as discriminatory and as distorting the market?

Does the Commission not feel the time has come to advise the United Kingdom to withdraw this measure which has a distorting effect on tourism, hunting and animal breeding in the Union?

If so, how will it do this?

If not, why not?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 January 1999)

The British government has forwarded to the Commission the report of the advisory group on quarantine, chaired by Professor Ian Kennedy, which was published on 23 September 1998.

This report, based on an independent assessment of the risk of introduction of rabies into the United Kingdom, is definitely in favour of a change in the current policy of quarantine. The Commission considers the recommendations to be a major step forward and the British government is sympathetic to a change in the regulations along the lines of the report, even if the result of the consultation of the public and organisations involved must be awaited.

Under the new system proposed by the advisory group, pet owners from the Community would no longer have to submit their animals to quarantine, providing conditions were imposed to ensure protection of health.

Concerning the establishment of the internal market, conditions for the placing on the market (conditions for commercial exchanges) in the United Kingdom and Ireland of dogs and cats originating from other Member States have been laid down in Council Directive 92/65/EEC.