Protection of animals: calves (amend. Direct. 91/269/EEC)

OBJECTIVE: to enable the organization of the common market in calves to function effectively. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Directive 97/2/EC amending Directive 91/629/EEC laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves. SUBSTANCE: the amendment provides, in respect of the housing of calves, that no calf shall be confined in an individual pen after the age of eight weeks and lays down minimum space allowances for individual pens and for rearing in groups (in this case, provision is made for increasing space allowances for calves according to their weight). Individual pens for calves (except those for isolating sick animals) should not have solid walls, but perforated walls which allow the calves to have direct visual and tactile contact. A timetable for implementation provides for the provisions to apply from 1 January 1998 to newly built or rebuilt holdings and a period of nine years to enable existing holdings to comply with the new rules. Exceptions are provided for small holdings (fewer than six calves) and calves kept with their mothers for suckling. DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE: 17 February 1997 DEADLINE FOR TRANSPOSITION: 31 December 1997.�