(2004/C 84 E/0789)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1040/04

by Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 March 2004)

Subject:   Requirements for entry in the studbook, transposition of Community legislation

Further to my parliamentary question of 27 October 2003 and the Commission's answer (P-3312/03 (1)), it is important to point out that the question concerns a matter falling within the sphere of competence not only of DG SANCO but also of DG MARKT, in addition to the fact that the Commission has merely replied that it was not aware of the problem and has not expressed its views on the substance of the matter.

Will the Commission, represented by Commissioner Byrne and Commissioner Bolkestein, indicate what steps have been taken to check whether the Community legislation relating to the sector has been properly and adequately transposed?

Has the Commission checked whether the existence of the assessment committee which I referred to is admissible?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2004)

The Commission would like to reassure the Honourable Member that it followed up the information he provided in Written Question P-3312/03 of 27 October 2003.

As indicated in its answer, the Commission had no knowledge of the existence in Italy of a morphological test for entering stallions in the studbook and a committee to carry out the assessment.

However, following the written question, the Commission decided to open an own-initiative investigation, registered as No 2004/2069, in order to clarify the facts and draw the appropriate conclusions.

The investigation is being carried out by the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection, which is the service responsible for Directive 90/427/EC (2) on the zootechnical and genealogical conditions governing intra-Community trade in equidae.

A letter was sent to the Italian authorities on 31 March 2004 asking for confirmation of the existence of this test and requesting a copy of the relevant national legislation.

(1)  OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 254.

(2)  Council Directive 90/427/EEC of 26 June 1990 on the zootechnical and genealogical conditions governing intra-Community trade in equidae, OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.