Miljø- og Fødevareudvalget 2017-18
MOF Alm.del Bilag 411
Offentligt
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Ref. Ares(2018)1712011 - 28/03/2018
ANNEX
Commission services' assessment of the Action Plan submitted by the competent authorities of Denmark in response to Report ref. DG(SANTE)/2017-6123-
MR of the audit carried out from 09 October 2017 to 13 October 2017 in order to evaluate Member State activities to prevent tail-biting and avoid routine tail-
docking of pigs
N°
1
Recommendation
The competent authority should provide inspectors
with suitable compliance criteria to enable them to
effectively enforce legal requirements of Council
Directive 2008/120/EC and Council Directive
98/58/EC that are related to risk factors for tail-
biting.
Conclusion 50. Findings 39, 45.
Action Proposed by the competent authority
The guideline for animal welfare controls in
pig herds and/or the guideline on enrichment
material will be updated to include
compliance criteria for air quality, feeding
space, and drinkers. It will at the same time
be considered, whether an update on the
compliance criteria concerning mixing of
pigs, which are already in the guideline, is
appropriate. This update is expected to be
finalised during the first half of 2018.
Commission services' assessment of the
competent authority's response
Satisfactory
The proposed timescale for updating the
guidelines is satisfactory.
Compliance criteria for staff are expected to
include not only relevant training but should
also indicate what constitutes a sufficient
number of staff.
For a concluding assessment it would be
helpful to receive the updated guidelines so
they can be reviewed by the Commission
services. This can be done in the context of
the updates to the Danish Action Plan to
improve controls on the prevention of tail-
biting and the avoidance of routine tail-
docking.
An update of the guideline on animal welfare
controls in pig herds to include compliance
criteria for staff will have to wait the adoption
of an order, which requires that the person
responsible for a pig herd of a certain size
shall have relevant training. This update is
expected to be finalised during the second
half of 2018.
2
The competent authority should provide inspectors
with suitable instructions and guidance to be
The risk factors with regard to tail biting,
which are already mentioned in the guideline
Satisfactory
Date: 14 March 2018
Page: 1
 MOF, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 411: Kommissionens endelige rapport om at evaluere medlemsstatens foranstaltninger til at forhindre halebidning og undgå rutinemæssig halekupering af svin
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ANNEX
Commission services' assessment of the Action Plan submitted by the competent authorities of Denmark in response to Report ref. DG(SANTE)/2017-6123-
MR of the audit carried out from 09 October 2017 to 13 October 2017 in order to evaluate Member State activities to prevent tail-biting and avoid routine tail-
docking of pigs
N°
Recommendation
enable them to enforce the provision on the
prevention of tail-biting and avoidance of routine
tail-docking, as laid down in the second paragraph
of point 8 of Chapter I of Annex I of Council
Directive 2008/120/EC, including how they should
assess evidence of tail and ear lesions on farm and
what constitutes sufficient measures by farmers to
change inadequate environmental conditions or
management systems before resorting to tail-
docking of pigs. This entails the development of
measurable criteria to enable inspectors to
properly assess progress with regard to the risk
factors listed in the new DVFA guidelines on
enrichment materials and the avoidance of tail-
docking.
Conclusion 51. Findings 39 and 44 to 46.
Action Proposed by the competent authority
on enrichment materials will be expanded in
order to provide inspectors with more in
depth compliance criteria. This will enable
inspectors to better assess the
documentation/evidence given by the farmer
of the need to tail-dock, and also to better
assess whether sufficient measures have been
taken before resorting to tail-docking. This
update is expected to be finalised during the
first half of 2018.
Furthermore, an amendment of Danish
legislation, which will require farmers to
carry out a risk assessment, according to
Commission Recommendation (EC)
2016/336, and also require them to give
written documentation hereof, is being
considered. A decision will be taken during
the next few months, if the results is that an
order shall be issued, it is expected that the
order will enter into force on 1 January 2019.
Follow-up visits from the Veterinary
Inspection Units will continue in situations,
where the findings during ante- or post
Commission services' assessment of the
competent authority's response
Actions proposed and timescale with regard
to updating the guideline on enrichment
materials are satisfactory. For a concluding
assessment it would be helpful to receive the
updated guidelines so they can be reviewed
by the Commission services.
It would be helpful to receive an update on
what is decided with regard to the
amendment of legislation that will require
farmers to carry out a risk assessment. Please
send details of progress with these proposed
actions. This can be done in the context of
the updates to the Danish Action Plan to
improve controls on the prevention of tail-
biting and the avoidance of routine tail-
docking.
3
The competent authority should, as required by
Article 3(a) of Regulation 882/2004, take account
of identified risks such as the level of non-
compliance in fattening herds compared to
Satisfactory
It would be helpful to receive an update on
what is decided with regard to the use of post
Date: 14 March 2018
Page: 2
 MOF, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 411: Kommissionens endelige rapport om at evaluere medlemsstatens foranstaltninger til at forhindre halebidning og undgå rutinemæssig halekupering af svin
1880535_0003.png
ANNEX
Commission services' assessment of the Action Plan submitted by the competent authorities of Denmark in response to Report ref. DG(SANTE)/2017-6123-
MR of the audit carried out from 09 October 2017 to 13 October 2017 in order to evaluate Member State activities to prevent tail-biting and avoid routine tail-
docking of pigs
N°
Recommendation
breeding herds and post-mortem data on tail
damage at slaughter to further target fattening
farms and improve risk factors for tail-biting on
these premises.
Conclusion 51. Finding 46. Conclusion 52.
Findings 47 to 49.
Action Proposed by the competent authority
mortem inspections in slaughterhouses
indicate that the welfare of pigs may be
seriously compromised. Furthermore, the
possibility to use post-mortem data as a risk
parameter for the selection of herds for
inspection will be considered. However, there
may be certain legal constraints.
The working group with members from the
pig sector, the DVA and the DVFA continues
its work in order to produce a risk assessment
tool for farmers and information material,
which shall make farmers, veterinarians and
other consultants aware of the need to
perform a risk assessment before resorting to
tail-docking.
We foresee a continued cooperation between
farmers, the practising veterinarian and/or
other consultants with regard to the risk
assessment, but whether this could further
involve the Veterinary Advisory Service
Contracts, will be decided during the first half
on 2018.
Commission services' assessment of the
competent authority's response
mortem data as a risk parameter. Please send
details of your evaluation.
4
The competent authority should continue to work
with private veterinarians to maximise the impact
of Veterinary Advisory Service Contracts and
ensure that priorities set in farm action plans
support farmers in their assessment of risk factors
as well as other relevant data related to the need
for tail-docking, as required by point 8 of Chapter
I of Annex I of Council Directive 2008/120/EC.
Conclusion 31. Findings 24 to 26.
Satisfactory
It would be helpful to receive an update on
your decision and future actions with regard
to the cooperation between farmers,
veterinarians and other consultants. Please
send details of evaluation and proposed
actions. This can be done in the context of
the updates to the Danish Action Plan to
improve controls on the prevention of tail-
biting and the avoidance of routine tail-
docking.
Date: 14 March 2018
Page: 3
 MOF, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 411: Kommissionens endelige rapport om at evaluere medlemsstatens foranstaltninger til at forhindre halebidning og undgå rutinemæssig halekupering af svin
1880535_0004.png
ANNEX
Commission services' assessment of the Action Plan submitted by the competent authorities of Denmark in response to Report ref. DG(SANTE)/2017-6123-
MR of the audit carried out from 09 October 2017 to 13 October 2017 in order to evaluate Member State activities to prevent tail-biting and avoid routine tail-
docking of pigs
N°
5
Recommendation
The competent authority should consider liaising
with other Government Agencies responsible for
funding new buildings where pigs are to be kept
and renovating existing ones with the assistance of
European funding under Article 17 of Regulation
(EU) No 1305/2013 to ensure not only that
payments related to such facilities are suitable to
commitments going beyond the relevant
mandatory standards where they are related to
animal welfare but that in general all funded
facilities, as a minimum, comply with relevant
mandatory requirements (of Directives
2008/120/EC and 98/58/EC) including the
avoidance of routine tail-docking e.g. slurry
systems that can handle optimal enrichment
materials, different temperature zones, suitable
flooring, feeding, space allowances etc.
Conclusions 35, 36. Findings 33, 34.
Action Proposed by the competent authority
The recommendation is assumed not relevant
for the Green Development Programme,
presently situated at the Environmental
Agency (formerly at the Agricultural
Agency), as the Green Development
Programme does not fund new buildings or
renovations of existing buildings. The Green
Development Programme supports the
building of new prototypes, hereof the
development of new stable concepts.
Regarding conclusion 35 and the
recommendation: The Danish Agricultural
Agency (formerly Agrifish) will take the
recommendation concerning liaising with
other Government Agencies into
consideration in those cases where the
Agricultural Agency gives project subsidies
with EU financing. The Danish Agricultural
Agency is already collaborating with a range
of other authorities, in order to ensure
compliance with other regulation.
Commission services' assessment of the
competent authority's response
Satisfactory
It would be helpful to receive information
with regard to existing programmes that use
European financial measures for investment
funding of pig premises (if any) and your
considerations with regard to ensuring
compliance with Directives 2008/120/EC
and 98/58/EC including the avoidance of
routine tail-docking in such funded premises.
Please send an update on the proposed
actions.
Date: 14 March 2018
Page: 4