52000SC0219

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty concerning the common position adopted by the Council for the purposes of adopting a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 64/432/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty concerning the common position adopted by the Council for the purposes of adopting a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 64/432/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine

1. BACKGROUND

- Date of submission of the proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(1998)81 - 1998/0052 (COD)): 19.2.1998.

- Date of European Parliament opinion on first reading: 16.6.1998 and 16.9.1999 (confirmation under the codecision procedure).

- Date of submission of amended proposal to the Council: Parliament approved the proposal without amendment.

- Date of political agreement and formal adoption of the common position by the Council (by qualified majority/unanimity): 24.1.2000 - by qualified majority.

- (Where applicable) date of opinion of Economic and Social Committee and Committee of the Regions: ESC: OJ C 235, 27.7.1998, p 59.

2. PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSAL

To make the Commission responsible for adopting implementing rules to ensure, inter alia, that the computerised national databases are operative.

3. COMMENTS ON THE COMMON POSITION

3.1 General remarks on the common position

The delegation of powers to the Commission relates only to the databases for pigs. Also, the Council provides for them to be set up in stages (three stages over three years).

3.2 European Parliament amendments on first reading:

Parliament approved the proposal without amendment.

3.3. The new provisions introduced by the Council and the Commission's position on them:

The Council provides for the pig databases to be set up in stages (three stages over three years). The Commission accepts this compromise solution proposed by the Presidency.

4. CONCLUSIONS/GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

The Commission supports the common position.

The required implementing rules will provide a framework for introducing the computerised pig databases. The timetable as planned takes account of technical requirements and does not call the principle of the Directive into question.