Food safety: computer databases for identification of bovine animals and swine

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.