INTRO:

Parliamentary questions are questions addressed by Members of the European Parliament to other European Union Institutions and bodies. They are a direct form of parliamentary scrutiny of other EU institutions and bodies.

There are three categories of parliamentary question:

• Questions for oral answer dealt with during plenary sittings, and included in the day’s debates. They may be followed by a resolution (Rule 115)
• Questions for Question Time asked during the period set aside for questions during plenary sittings (Rule 116)
• Written questions with a request for a written answer (Rule‭ 117)

Question for written answer

25 May 2012
to the Commission
Rule 117
Zuzana Roithová (PPE)

Subject: Sale of cat and dog fur

After much debate, Parliament decided to forbid the sale of cat and dog fur in the EU in 2008. However, the regulation concerned is being circumvented.

1. Under Regulation (EC) No 1523/2007, products made from the fur of domestic cats and dogs cannot be placed on the market in the EU. Is the Commission aware that the regulation is apparently being circumvented by the ‘re-sale’ or ‘second-hand sale’ of the aforementioned products?

2. What steps is Commission taking to monitor whether Regulation (EC) No 1523/2007 is being implemented in full? Has the Commission objected to any attempts to circumvent the regulation similar to those described above?

3. Does the Commission plan to amend the regulation by extending the scope of the ban to cover all forms of sale, including ‘second-hand sale’, or at least to limit this form of sale?

Parliamentary questions

Answer given by Mr Dalli on behalf of the Commission

According to Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1523/2007 banning cat and dog fur, ‘placing on the market’ means ‘the holding of cat and/or dog fur or a product containing such fur for the purpose of sale, which includes offer for sale, sale and distribution’. This definition bans all forms of sales including ‘re-sale’ or ‘second hand’ sale.

In 2011, the Commission collected information from the Member States on the implementation of the ban on cat and dog fur in 2009 and 2010. From this information, there does not appear to be any significant issue for the implementation of the ban on cat and dog fur.

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More info:

EUROPE Ban on trade in cat and dog fur

Implementation of the ban on cat and dog fur in the EU

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