91998E0889

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0889/98

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(11 March 1998)

Subject: Illegal slaughter of sheep in France at the Eid-El-Kabir Festival

In my Question No 90 (H-0013/98)(1), I drew the Commissioner's attention to the fact that he had already agreed with me that the French authorities had infringed Community law by allowing thousands of sheep to be brutally slaughtered in fields outside Paris as part of the Eid-El-Kabir Festival in April 1997. I went on to ask the Commission to state what guarantees it had now obtained from the French authorities that they will comply with the European law and ensure that this barbaric and illegal slaughter will not be allowed to happen against this year.

In its reply, the Commission said "it is quite possible for the celebration of 'Eid-El-Kabir" to take place in a manner which respects the relevant animal welfare rules,' which do not allow such slaughter to be carried out in the open air or other places outside slaughterhouses. However, although it says that "the Commission has intervened further with the French authorities", it has failed to answer my specific question about the guarantees that the French authorities have provided.

Will the Commission now provide as a matter of urgency details of the guarantees that it has received from the French authorities that they will ensure that Community law is not broken and of the steps that the French authorities will take against any persons who break the law?

Will the Commission also state precisely the action it will take against the French authorities under Article 100 of the EC Treaty, and with what consequences, if it receives evidence that any breaches of the law take place at this year's festival?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1998)

The Commission continues to monitor the situation with regard to the problem of illegal slaughter of sheep outside slaughterhouses in connection with the Moslem festival mentioned by the Honourable Member. At the end of 1997 the Commission intervened with the French authorities indicating that it would expect France to ensure that the relevant Community rules were correctly observed in respect of the slaughter of sheep during the celebration of the festival in 1998. A follow-up letter was sent on 13 March 1998, giving a deadline of two weeks to reply. So far the Commission has not received the information requested.

France was also warned that failure to ensure the respect of the rules would lead to the opening of the Article 169 EC Treaty procedure. The Commission has not up to the present time received any complaint concerning the celebration of the Eid-el-Kabir during the current year.

(1) Debates of the European Parliament (February 1998).