BETA


2004/0183(COD) Animal protection: implementation by the Community of the agreement on international humane trapping standards

Progress: Procedure lapsed or withdrawn

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead ENVI SCHEELE Karin (icon: PSE PSE)
Committee Legal Basis Opinion JURI LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE Antonio (icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 192-p1

Events

2012/04/26
   EC - Proposal withdrawn by Commission
Details

As announced in Official Journal C 156 of 2 June 2012, the Commission decided to withdraw this proposal, which had become obsolete.

2005/12/13
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT), and rejected the Commission’s proposal by 32 votes in favour to 472 against with 10 abstentions. (Please refer to the summary of the debate in plenary of 16/11/2005.)

Documents
2005/11/17
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2005/11/17
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading
2005/11/16
   EP - Debate in Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution backing the rapporteur Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT), and rejected a draft directive on the trapping of certain animal species designed to bring EU law into line with international agreements reached with Russia, Canada and the United States. The report was referred back to the Committee.

The rapporteur argued that the draft directive was 'very unsatisfactory' and 'difficult to improve by means of amendments'. In addition, she said, the text lacked any proper scientific basis.

To recall, in 1996, the Community concluded two identical agreements on the trapping of certain animal species, firstly with Russia and Canada and then with the United States. The Council approved the agreements in 1998 but, because national laws continued to differ, the Commission proposed that a directive be adopted to harmonise these laws and thus enable the European Union to comply with these agreements. The draft directive does not cover leghold traps, which have been banned since 1991. The aim is to regulate other traps, for example, drowning traps, to make them less cruel. The agreements and the draft directive cover 19 species (muskrat, marten, sable, badger, wolf, beaver, otter, etc.).

In June 1997, meanwhile, Parliament condemned by a large majority the agreement concluded with Canada and Russia because it did not take sufficient account of animal welfare and was primarily motivated by trade considerations.

The use of the term 'humane' in the title of the directive was strongly contested by some members of the Parliament, particularly the Socialist, Green and GUE/NGL groups. It was also queried by the Commission's own Scientific and Veterinary Committee, which maintained that the international agreements do not rule out unacceptable levels of suffering.

However, a large majority vote in of the Parliament was achieved partly because of an alliance between contradictory points of view, between those who thought the directive too weak and those who believed it went too far. Some, including a number of Dutch Members, did not want the directive to hinder the fight against certain harmful animals, in particular the muskrat, which constantly threatens the dykes that protect the regions of the Netherlands below sea level.

Commissioner DIMAS said the Commission would now have to reflect on the best way of moving forward.

2005/10/13
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
2005/10/13
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading
Documents
2005/10/11
   EP - Vote in committee, 1st reading
Details

The committee adopted the report by Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT) rejecting the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure. MEPs argued that the draft directive was 'very unsatisfactory' and difficult to improve by means of amendments. They added that the text lacked any proper scientific basis.

2005/10/10
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2005/07/13
   EP - LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE Antonio (PPE-DE) appointed as rapporteur in JURI
2004/12/16
   ESC - Economic and Social Committee: opinion, report
2004/09/27
   EP - SCHEELE Karin (PSE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2004/09/15
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading
2004/07/30
   EC - Legislative proposal
Details

PURPOSE : introducing humane trapping standards for certain animal species.

PROPOSED ACT : Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT : with a view to implementing the environmental aspect of the Agreement on humane international trapping standards, the Commission is proposing to apply standards to 19 animal species such as the Coyote, Marten, Bobcat, Muskrat, Raccoon, Lynx, Badger, Wolf, Beaver, Otter and Pine marten and others covered by the Agreement. This proposal respects the contents of the Agreement concerning the species covered, the general objectives and the technical aspects. The proposed Directive establishes humane trapping standards, requirements for trapping methods, technical provisions for the testing of trapping methods and the certification of traps for trapping certain wild animal species and concerns traps used for the trapping of the wild mammals for the purposes of wildlife management, pest control, capture of mammals for conservation and obtaining fur, skin or meat.

In addition, the Commission provides that the Member States are required to designate competent authorities for the purpose of implementation of the Directive. The competent authorities shall have the responsibility to deliver a standard certification document , as appropriate, containing specific conditions and restrictions regarding the use of the traps concerned.

Furthermore, the proposal sets out the conditions for the general use of traps. After the date of 1 January 2009 only certified traps may be put into use to trap the 19 animal species listed.

Moreover, it establishes the principle that the use of traps certified in third countries will be

allowed in the Community. It also imposes upon the Member States to ensure that, as from 1 January 2012, no trapping methods are used that are not in conformity with the humane trapping standards.

It should be recalled that the Agreement has been inspired by the desire to agree on international humane trapping standards as well as to avoid trade disputes with the main international fur exporters. The Agreement has been applied provisionally between the Community and Canada since June 1999, pending its entry into force which requires ratification by the Russian Federation. The second one concerns the United States of America and has the form of an agreed minute. This was approved by Council Decision 98/487/EC. The Agreement on international humane trapping standards aims to establish standards on humane trapping methods, to improve communication and co-operation between the Parties for the implementation and development of these standards and facilitate trade of furs and traps between the Parties. The aim of the humane trapping standards is to ensure a sufficient level of welfare of trapped animals, and to further improve this welfare.

2004/07/29
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE : introducing humane trapping standards for certain animal species.

PROPOSED ACT : Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT : with a view to implementing the environmental aspect of the Agreement on humane international trapping standards, the Commission is proposing to apply standards to 19 animal species such as the Coyote, Marten, Bobcat, Muskrat, Raccoon, Lynx, Badger, Wolf, Beaver, Otter and Pine marten and others covered by the Agreement. This proposal respects the contents of the Agreement concerning the species covered, the general objectives and the technical aspects. The proposed Directive establishes humane trapping standards, requirements for trapping methods, technical provisions for the testing of trapping methods and the certification of traps for trapping certain wild animal species and concerns traps used for the trapping of the wild mammals for the purposes of wildlife management, pest control, capture of mammals for conservation and obtaining fur, skin or meat.

In addition, the Commission provides that the Member States are required to designate competent authorities for the purpose of implementation of the Directive. The competent authorities shall have the responsibility to deliver a standard certification document , as appropriate, containing specific conditions and restrictions regarding the use of the traps concerned.

Furthermore, the proposal sets out the conditions for the general use of traps. After the date of 1 January 2009 only certified traps may be put into use to trap the 19 animal species listed.

Moreover, it establishes the principle that the use of traps certified in third countries will be

allowed in the Community. It also imposes upon the Member States to ensure that, as from 1 January 2012, no trapping methods are used that are not in conformity with the humane trapping standards.

It should be recalled that the Agreement has been inspired by the desire to agree on international humane trapping standards as well as to avoid trade disputes with the main international fur exporters. The Agreement has been applied provisionally between the Community and Canada since June 1999, pending its entry into force which requires ratification by the Russian Federation. The second one concerns the United States of America and has the form of an agreed minute. This was approved by Council Decision 98/487/EC. The Agreement on international humane trapping standards aims to establish standards on humane trapping methods, to improve communication and co-operation between the Parties for the implementation and development of these standards and facilitate trade of furs and traps between the Parties. The aim of the humane trapping standards is to ensure a sufficient level of welfare of trapped animals, and to further improve this welfare.

Documents

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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  • date: 2012-04-26T00:00:00 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/ title: Environment Commissioner: POTOČNIK Janez type: Proposal withdrawn by Commission
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docs
  • date: 2004-12-16T00:00:00 docs: url: https://dm.eesc.europa.eu/EESCDocumentSearch/Pages/redresults.aspx?k=(documenttype:AC)(documentnumber:1637)(documentyear:2004)(documentlanguage:EN) title: CES1637/2004 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C:2005:157:TOC title: OJ C 157 28.06.2005, p. 0070-0073 type: Economic and Social Committee: opinion, report body: ESC
  • date: 2005-05-17T00:00:00 docs: title: PE357.779 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2005-07-20T00:00:00 docs: title: PE360.168 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2005-10-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE364.660 title: PE364.660 committee: JURI type: Committee opinion body: EP
  • date: 2005-10-13T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2005-304&language=EN title: A6-0304/2005 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
events
  • date: 2004-07-30T00:00:00 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2004/0532/COM_COM(2004)0532_EN.pdf title: COM(2004)0532 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2004&nu_doc=532 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE : introducing humane trapping standards for certain animal species. PROPOSED ACT : Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT : with a view to implementing the environmental aspect of the Agreement on humane international trapping standards, the Commission is proposing to apply standards to 19 animal species such as the Coyote, Marten, Bobcat, Muskrat, Raccoon, Lynx, Badger, Wolf, Beaver, Otter and Pine marten and others covered by the Agreement. This proposal respects the contents of the Agreement concerning the species covered, the general objectives and the technical aspects. The proposed Directive establishes humane trapping standards, requirements for trapping methods, technical provisions for the testing of trapping methods and the certification of traps for trapping certain wild animal species and concerns traps used for the trapping of the wild mammals for the purposes of wildlife management, pest control, capture of mammals for conservation and obtaining fur, skin or meat. In addition, the Commission provides that the Member States are required to designate competent authorities for the purpose of implementation of the Directive. The competent authorities shall have the responsibility to deliver a standard certification document , as appropriate, containing specific conditions and restrictions regarding the use of the traps concerned. Furthermore, the proposal sets out the conditions for the general use of traps. After the date of 1 January 2009 only certified traps may be put into use to trap the 19 animal species listed. Moreover, it establishes the principle that the use of traps certified in third countries will be allowed in the Community. It also imposes upon the Member States to ensure that, as from 1 January 2012, no trapping methods are used that are not in conformity with the humane trapping standards. It should be recalled that the Agreement has been inspired by the desire to agree on international humane trapping standards as well as to avoid trade disputes with the main international fur exporters. The Agreement has been applied provisionally between the Community and Canada since June 1999, pending its entry into force which requires ratification by the Russian Federation. The second one concerns the United States of America and has the form of an agreed minute. This was approved by Council Decision 98/487/EC. The Agreement on international humane trapping standards aims to establish standards on humane trapping methods, to improve communication and co-operation between the Parties for the implementation and development of these standards and facilitate trade of furs and traps between the Parties. The aim of the humane trapping standards is to ensure a sufficient level of welfare of trapped animals, and to further improve this welfare.
  • date: 2004-09-15T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2005-10-11T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP summary: The committee adopted the report by Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT) rejecting the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure. MEPs argued that the draft directive was 'very unsatisfactory' and difficult to improve by means of amendments. They added that the text lacked any proper scientific basis.
  • date: 2005-10-13T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2005-304&language=EN title: A6-0304/2005
  • date: 2005-11-16T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20051116&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament summary: The European Parliament adopted a resolution backing the rapporteur Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT), and rejected a draft directive on the trapping of certain animal species designed to bring EU law into line with international agreements reached with Russia, Canada and the United States. The report was referred back to the Committee. The rapporteur argued that the draft directive was 'very unsatisfactory' and 'difficult to improve by means of amendments'. In addition, she said, the text lacked any proper scientific basis. To recall, in 1996, the Community concluded two identical agreements on the trapping of certain animal species, firstly with Russia and Canada and then with the United States. The Council approved the agreements in 1998 but, because national laws continued to differ, the Commission proposed that a directive be adopted to harmonise these laws and thus enable the European Union to comply with these agreements. The draft directive does not cover leghold traps, which have been banned since 1991. The aim is to regulate other traps, for example, drowning traps, to make them less cruel. The agreements and the draft directive cover 19 species (muskrat, marten, sable, badger, wolf, beaver, otter, etc.). In June 1997, meanwhile, Parliament condemned by a large majority the agreement concluded with Canada and Russia because it did not take sufficient account of animal welfare and was primarily motivated by trade considerations. The use of the term 'humane' in the title of the directive was strongly contested by some members of the Parliament, particularly the Socialist, Green and GUE/NGL groups. It was also queried by the Commission's own Scientific and Veterinary Committee, which maintained that the international agreements do not rule out unacceptable levels of suffering. However, a large majority vote in of the Parliament was achieved partly because of an alliance between contradictory points of view, between those who thought the directive too weak and those who believed it went too far. Some, including a number of Dutch Members, did not want the directive to hinder the fight against certain harmful animals, in particular the muskrat, which constantly threatens the dykes that protect the regions of the Netherlands below sea level. Commissioner DIMAS said the Commission would now have to reflect on the best way of moving forward.
  • date: 2005-11-17T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2005-12-13T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=4305&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2005-12-13T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2005-500 title: T6-0500/2005 summary: The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT), and rejected the Commission’s proposal by 32 votes in favour to 472 against with 10 abstentions. (Please refer to the summary of the debate in plenary of 16/11/2005.)
  • date: 2012-04-26T00:00:00 type: Proposal withdrawn by Commission body: EC summary: As announced in Official Journal C 156 of 2 June 2012, the Commission decided to withdraw this proposal, which had become obsolete.
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/ title: Environment commissioner: POTOČNIK Janez
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
ENVI/6/23337
New
  • ENVI/6/23337
procedure/subject
Old
  • 3.10.04.02 Animal protection
  • 3.70.01 Protection of natural resources: fauna, flora, nature, wildlife, countryside; biodiversity
New
3.10.04.02
Animal protection
3.70.01
Protection of natural resources: fauna, flora, nature, wildlife, countryside; biodiversity
links/European Commission/title
Old
PreLex
New
EUR-Lex
procedure/summary
  • See also Decision 98/142/EC
  • See also Decision 98/487/EC
activities
  • date: 2004-07-30T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2004/0532/COM_COM(2004)0532_EN.pdf celexid: CELEX:52004PC0532:EN type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2004)0532 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/ title: Environment Commissioner: POTOČNIK Janez
  • date: 2004-09-15T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: True committee: ENVI date: 2004-09-27T00:00:00 committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety rapporteur: group: PSE name: SCHEELE Karin body: EP responsible: None committee: JURI date: 2005-07-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Legal Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE Antonio
  • date: 2005-10-11T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP responsible: True committee: ENVI date: 2004-09-27T00:00:00 committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety rapporteur: group: PSE name: SCHEELE Karin body: EP responsible: None committee: JURI date: 2005-07-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Legal Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE Antonio type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2005-10-13T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2005-304&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A6-0304/2005 body: EP committees: body: EP responsible: True committee: ENVI date: 2004-09-27T00:00:00 committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety rapporteur: group: PSE name: SCHEELE Karin body: EP responsible: None committee: JURI date: 2005-07-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Legal Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE Antonio type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2005-11-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20051116&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2005-11-17T00:00:00 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2005-12-13T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=4305&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2005-500 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0500/2005 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2012-04-26T00:00:00 type: Proposal withdrawn by Commission body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/ title: Environment Commissioner: POTOČNIK Janez
committees
  • body: EP responsible: True committee: ENVI date: 2004-09-27T00:00:00 committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety rapporteur: group: PSE name: SCHEELE Karin
  • body: EP responsible: None committee: JURI date: 2005-07-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Legal Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE-DE name: LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE Antonio
links
European Commission
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/ title: Environment commissioner: POTOČNIK Janez
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
ENVI/6/23337
reference
2004/0183(COD)
instrument
Directive
legal_basis
Treaty on the Functioning of the EU TFEU 192-p1
stage_reached
Procedure lapsed or withdrawn
summary
subtype
Legislation
title
Animal protection: implementation by the Community of the agreement on international humane trapping standards
type
COD - Ordinary legislative procedure (ex-codecision procedure)
subject