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Council Decision of 14 December 1992 on the conclusion of the Protocol of amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes (92/583/EEC)

EU Decision 1992/583 · Adopted 14 December 1992 · Extends to United Kingdom

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise this item, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

Council Decision

of 14 December 1992

on the conclusion of the Protocol of amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes

(92/583/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliamentf1,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committeef2,

Whereas by Decision 78/923/EECf3 the Community approved the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention’; whereas the Community has deposited its instrument of approval;

Whereas the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted, on 15 November 1991, a Protocol of amendment to the Convention in order to take account of technical and scientific developments in livestock farming;

Whereas disparities in national laws on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes may give rise to unequal conditions of competition and may consequently have an indirect effect on the proper functioning of the common market;

Whereas the Convention covers matters which fall within the scope of the common agricultural policy;

Whereas the Community's participation thus contributes to the achievement of its objectives,

Whereas the Protocol of amendment should therefore be approved,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

OJ No C 337, 21. 12. 1992.

f2

OJ No C 332, 16. 12. 1992, p. 24.

f3

OJ No L 323, 17. 11. 1978, p. 12.

Contents

  1. 1Article 1
  2. 2Article 2
  3. Signature
  4. Attachment
  5. 1Article 1
  6. 2Article 2
  7. premierArticle premier
  8. 3Article 3
  9. 4Article 4
  10. 5Article 5
  11. 6Article 6
  12. 7Article 7
  13. 8Article 8
  14. 9Article 9
  15. 10Article 10

1

The Protocol of amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Protocol is attached to this Decision.

2

The President of the Council shall deposit the instrument of approval in accordance with Article 6 (4) of the Protocol of amendment.

Signature

Done at Brussels, 14 December 1992.

For the Council

The President

J. Gummer

PROTOCOL OF AMENDMENT TO THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANIMALS KEPT FOR FARMING PURPOSES

PROTOCOLE D'AMENDEMENT À LA CONVENTION EUROPÉENNE SUR LA PROTECTION DES ANIMAUX DANS LES ÉLEVAGES

THE MEMBER STATES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE and THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, signatory hereto,

HAVING REGARD to the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes of 10 March 1976, hereinafter called ‘the Convention’,

CONSIDERING that it is desirable to extend explicitly the scope of the Convention to apply also to certain aspects of developments in animal husbandry techniques, in particular in respect of biotechnology, and to the killing of animals on the farm and, at the same time to adapt some provisions of the Convention to the evolving situation in respect of animal husbandry,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

LES ÉTATS MEMBRES DU CONSEIL DE L'EUROPE et LA COMMUNAUTÉ ÉCONOMIQUE EUROPÉENNE, signataires du présent protocole d'amendement,

VU la convention européenne sur la protection des animaux dans les élevages, du 10 mars 1976, ci-après dénommée «la convention»,

CONSIDÉRANT qu'il est souhaitable d'élargir explicitement le champ d'application de la convention à certains aspects des développements dans les méthodes d'élevage des animaux, en particulier en matière de biotechnologie, et au sacrifice des animaux à la ferme, et en même temps d'adapter certaines dispositions de la convention à la situation évolutive en matière d'élevage d'animaux,

SONT CONVENUS DE CE QUI SUIT:

In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto, have signed this Protocol.

Done at ..., this ..., in English and French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each Member State of the Council of Europe, to any other Contracting State to the Convention and to the European Economic Community.

En foi de quoi, les soussignés, dûment autorisés à cet effet, ont signé le présent protocole.

Fait à ..., le ..., en français et en anglais, les deux textes faisant également foi, en un seul exemplaire qui sera déposé dans les archives du Conseil de l'Europe. Le Secrétaire général du Conseil de l'Europe en communiquera copie certifiée conforme à chacun des États membres du Conseil de l'Europe, aux autres États contractants à la convention et à la Communauté économique européenne.

1

Article 1 of the Convention shall be amended to read:

‘This Convention shall apply to the breeding, keeping, care and housing of animals and in particular to animals in intensive stock-farming systems. For the purposes of this Convention “animals” shall mean animals bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin or fur, or for other farming purposes, including animals produced as a result of genetic modifications or novel genetic combinations. “Intensive stock farming” systems shall mean husbandry methods in which animals are kept in such numbers or density, or in such conditions, or at such production levels, that their health and welfare depend upon frequent human attention.’

2

A new Article 3 shall be inserted in the Convention, which reads as follows:

‘Natural or artificial breeding or breeding procedures which cause or are likely to cause suffering or injury to any of the animals involved shall not be practised; no animal shall be kept for farming purposes unless it can be reasonably expected, on the basis of its phenotype or genotype, that it can be kept without detrimental effects on its health or welfare.’

premier

L'article 1er de la convention est amendé comme suit:

«La présente convention s'applique à l'élevage, à la détention, aux soins et au logement des animaux, en particulier dans les. systèmes d'élevage intensif. Au sens de la présente convention, on entend par «animaux» ceux qui sont élevés ou gardés pour la production de denrées alimentaires, de laine, de peaux ou fourrures, ou à d'autres fins agricoles, y compris les animaux résultant de modifications génétiques ou de nouvelles combinaisons génétiques. On entend par «systèmes d'élevage intensif» les méthodes d'élevage dans lesquelles les animaux sont détenus en tel nombre, ou en telle densité, ou dans de telles conditions, ou en vue de tels taux de production que leur santé et leur bien-être dépendent des fréquentes attentions de l'homme.»

3

Article 3 of the Convention shall be re-numbered Article 3a.

4

Article 6 of the Convention shall be amended to read:

‘No animal shall be provided with food or liquid in a manner, nor shall such food or liquid contain any substance, which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

No other substance with the exception of those given for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes shall be administered to an animal unless it has been demonstrated by scientific studies of animal welfare or established experience that the effect of the substance is not detrimental to the health or welfare of the animal.’

5

Article 7 of the Convention shall be amended to read:

‘1.

The condition and state of health and welfare of animals shall be thoroughly inspected at intervals sufficient to avoid unnecessary suffering and in the case of animals kept in intensive stock-farming systems at least once a day.

2.

When an animal is to be killed on the farm, this shall be done competently and in any case without causing unnecessary pain or distress to the animal or to other animals.

3.

Technical equipment used in intensive stock-farming systems shall be thoroughly inspected at least once a day, and any defect discovered shall be remedied with the least possible delay. When a defect cannot be remedied forthwith, all temporary measures necessary to safeguard the health and welfare of the animals shall be taken immediately.

6

1.

This Protocol of amendment shall be open for signature by the Member States of the Council of Europe which have signed or acceded to the Convention, and by the European Economic Community, which may become Parties to this Protocol of amendment by:

(a)

signature without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval; or

(b)

signature subject to ratification, acceptance or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval.

2.

No Member State of the Council of Europe shall sign without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval, or deposit an instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval, unless it is already or becomes simultaneously a Party to the Convention.

3.

Any State not a member of the Council which has acceded to the Convention may also accede to this Protocol of amendment.

4.

Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

7

This Protocol of amendment shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date on which all the Parties to the Convention have become Parties to this Protocol of amendment in accordance with the provisions of Article 6.

8

From the date of its entry into force, this Protocol of amendment shall form an integral part of the Convention.

9

No reservation may be made in respect of the provisions of this Protocol.

10

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the Member States of the Council of Europe, any State which has acceded to the Convention and the European Economic Community, of:

  1. (a)

    any signature of this Protocol of amendment;

  2. (b)

    the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession;

  3. (c)

    the date of entry into force of this Protocol of amendment, in accordance with Article 7;

  4. (d)

    any other act, declaration, notification or communication relating to this Protocol of amendment.