Text tabled : A6-0161/2006

  Jan Mulder (ALDE), in writing. – (NL) The People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) voted in favour of the Roth-Behrendt report today, even though it is not entirely satisfied with the compromise between Parliament and the Council. In the compromise, steps are being taken to relax the ban on feeding non-ruminants animal meal, provided that animals are not fed animal meal originating from their own species. In this respect, we would refer to the by-products regulation (1774/2002/EC) which lays down the ban on feeding animal by-products to animals of the same species for reasons of possible food safety risks.

While the VVD welcomes this development, we are dissatisfied with the fact that in the compromise, nothing is being said about imposing the same requirements on imported products. Indeed, non-ruminant products from third countries need not meet any conditions in terms of feeding animal meal. The VVD believes that third-country products should meet the same requirements, certainly where food safety is at stake.

Despite this, the VVD has voted in favour, because the compromise, in many ways, represents an improvement on the current situation. Approval of the compromise means agreement at first reading, which means that these improvements can actually be carried out in the short term.