Ovine and caprine animals: date of introduction of electronic identification

The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution drafted by Friedrich-Wilhelm GRAEFE ZU BARINGDORF (Greens/EFA, DE) and made some amendments, under the consultation procedure, to the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 as regards the date of introduction of electronic identification for ovine and caprine animals. The resolution was adopted by 347 votes for, 212 against and 8 abstentions.

The main amendments were as follows:

- a new recital states that the Commission should investigate, in the framework of the Health Check of the CAP Reform, the possibility of helping farmers to cope with the high costs of procuring the required equipment, by creating the possibility for Member States to incorporate such measures within their rural development programmes;

- as from 31 December 2009, electronic identification according to the guidelines referred to in the text, and in accordance with the relevant provisions of Section A of the Annex, shall be obligatory for all animals born after that date. The Commission had proposed that the date should be decided according to certain criteria ;

- the Commission must submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 December 2009 on the justification for individual electronic identification systems, and other traceability systems in terms of disease control and on how such systems might be further simplified for farmers and administrative authorities. The report must be accompanied by appropriate legislative proposals.