Document type: Response from the European Commission to question E-001586/2024
Authors: question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
Question: Routine docking (burning off or clipping) of piglets' tails has been banned in the EU since 1991.[1] 89 % of Europeans support a ban on the cutting off of body parts of animals.[2] Moreover, EFSA has confirmed that the practice of tail docking should not be carried out.[3]
In almost all EU Member States, the relevant legislation is being infringed. In the Netherlands, 99 % of piglets still have their tails burnt off or clipped without anaesthetic. As a result, complaints have recently been lodged with the European Commission.[4][5]
1.How does the Commission assess the implementation of Directive 2008/120/EC, which bans the routine docking of piglet tails?
2.Will the Commission take steps against the EU Member States concerned, in the form of fines or other sanctions, to enforce implementation of the directive in the short term?
3After having spent years carrying out activities that have not led to concrete improvements, including performing audits, developing educational materials, promoting best practices, pushing for action plans and repeatedly engaging in dialogue with EU Member States, does the Commission deem it necessary to initiate infringement proceedings against EU Member States that fail to comply with the legislation?
[1]Directive 2008/120/EC, Annex I, point 8.
[2]Special Eurobarometer, Attitudes of Europeans towards Animal Welfare, March 2023.
[3] EFSA Scientific Opinion, Welfare of pigs on farm, June 2022.
[4]https://eerstekamer.partijvoordedieren.nl/nieuws/partij-voor-de-dieren-eerste-kamer-dient-klacht-in-bij-europese-commissie-over-illegaal-afbranden-biggenstaartjes
[5]https://www.animalrights.be/animal-rights-dient-klacht-bij-europese-commissie-over-illegaal-afbranden-biggenstaartjes-belgië
Answer: 1. The recent Fitness Check of the EU Animal Welfare legislation[1] concluded that there is a lack of uniform enforcement regarding the ban on the routine tail docking of pigs.
2. The Commission has no power to impose fines or other economic sanctions on a Member State to enforce the implementation of the directive. Financial sanctions may be ordered by the Court following a request by the Commission in the context of an infringement procedure concerning a failure by a Member State to comply with a judgment of the Court.
3. In line with the Commission enforcement strategy, infringement proceedings are launched as a means of last resort, whereas the Commission continuously seeks to achieve faster and efficient compliance from the Member States by exploring all appropriate tools to achieve legal compliance. For this reason, the Commission continues efforts to work closely with the Member States through a variety of instruments and fora to ensure the proper implementation of EU animal welfare legislation. In that context, the Commission recently has set up an animal welfare expert and an animal welfare working group[2] to pursue discussions with all Member States. One of the main topics of discussion is the enforcement of the ban on routine tail docking of pigs.
[1] Commission Staff Working Document Fitness Check of the EU Animal Welfare legislation: https://food.ec.europa.eu/document/download/b9cc1000-c978-4895-8e9b-c2e1296adbfe_en?filename=aw_eval_revision_swd_2022-328_en.pdf
[2]Animal Welfare Expert Group