PURPOSE: to amend Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive 2014/64/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

CONTENT: Council Directive 64/432/EEC on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine applies to trade in bovine animals and swine within the Union. That Directive provides that the competent authority in a Member State may introduce a system of surveillance networks. Those networks include a computer database which is to contain at least a number of elements laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC, inter alia the identification code of each animal.

Regulation No 653/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council amended Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals. Accordingly this Directive amends 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States. The new text includes changes relating to electronic means of identification .

The date of death or slaughter should also be included in the list of elements of the database.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 17.07.2014.

The European Parliament adopted by 395 votes to 216, with 13 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of an agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council. They amended the proposal as follows:

According to the amended text, the list of elements of the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC should include the unique identification code or codes, as regards the cases set out in Articles 4(1), 4b, 4c(1) and 4d of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

It is recalled that Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals provides for specific transitory derogations to allow the application of an electronic identifier also to those animals, provided that full traceability is ensured and that the animals can be identified individually, including the holding on which they were born. The possibility of using such electronic identifiers should be reflected in the list of elements of the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC.

The date of death or slaughter should also be included in the list of elements of the database.

The Presidency presented a report highlighting the progress achieved during the first half of 2012 on two proposals:

amendment to regulation 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals and deleting the provisions on voluntary beef labelling; and this one amending directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

To align it with the proposed changes in Regulation (EC) 1760/2000, the Commission proposes to amend the current Council Directive 64/432/EEC by requiring that the type of electronic identifier is indicated in the computer database, if it is applied to the animal.

However, the majority of delegations agreed that the new element did not provide added value in terms of traceability and was therefore not necessary. If this reasoning is followed, the only substantial objective of the Commission proposal would be eliminated.

The opinion of European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety includes an amendment to add in the computerised database the electronic identification code if the latter is different from the code of the other means of identification. This was again considered to be unnecessary by the Working Party, as adding such indication would not require a change to the current Directive.

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted the report drafted by Sophie AUCONIE (EPP, FR) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

The committee recommends that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading, under the ordinary legislative procedure, should be to amend the Commission proposal.

The report suggests that the list of elements of the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC should include:

the date of death and/or slaughter : (rather than the date of death and slaughter as proposed by the Commission) ; the electronic identification code : Members consider that if this is not added, there is a risk that there may be differences in some cases between the visual and electronic identification codes.

PURPOSE: to amend Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

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

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: Council Directive 64/432/EEC on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine2 applies to trade in bovine animals and swine within the Union. That Directive provides that the competent authority in a Member State may introduce a system of surveillance networks. Those networks include a computer database which is to contain at least a number of elements laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC, inter alia the identification code of each animal.

The Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals and deleting the provisions on voluntary beef labelling, makes necessary to amend accordingly Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States. The elements of the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC do not include so far any reference to electronic means of identification.

In the interest of consistency of Union legislation, such element should be added to the list of elements to be included in the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: this proposal has no budgetary implication for the Union budget.

PURPOSE: to amend Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States.

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

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: Council Directive 64/432/EEC on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine2 applies to trade in bovine animals and swine within the Union. That Directive provides that the competent authority in a Member State may introduce a system of surveillance networks. Those networks include a computer database which is to contain at least a number of elements laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC, inter alia the identification code of each animal.

The Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals and deleting the provisions on voluntary beef labelling, makes necessary to amend accordingly Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States. The elements of the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC do not include so far any reference to electronic means of identification.

In the interest of consistency of Union legislation, such element should be added to the list of elements to be included in the computer databases laid down in Directive 64/432/EEC.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: this proposal has no budgetary implication for the Union budget.