Schouten: 'Slaughterhouse close to repeat abuses'

Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) wants to be able to close slaughterhouses if they repeatedly make mistakes. The minister said this during a parliamentary debate about abuses in slaughterhouses.

Many parties believe that the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority should be able to take stricter action if necessary. For example, Helma Lodders (VVD) believes that fines of around €2.000 are too low. That is why she wants to know from the minister whether heavier sancties, or closure is possible in the event of repeated abuses.

Schouten says that the fines have already been increased as of 1 July 2016: from €1.500 to €2.500. In case of repeated failure, the fines can pile up. These can then amount to 10% of the annual turnover. "The imposition of 'stacking fines' is, from a legal point of view, not always easy", says Schouten. For example, these are often challenged by the business community at the Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (CBb).

Camera Surveillance
Mandatory CCTV surveillance in slaughterhouses was also discussed. This discussion is playing already longer† Under the rule of Martijn van Dam, former State Secretary for Economic Affairs, it turned out that compulsory CCTV surveillance is possible, but difficult to regulate from a legal point of view. At the time, with a pilot project started.

According to Schouten, the first pilot project in 3 slaughterhouses (pigs, poultry and cattle) was completed in August. It is now being evaluated. She is calling on slaughterhouses to participate in any 'follow-up pilots'. Schouten prefers that the sector cooperates on a voluntary basis, so that a legal obligation is not necessary.

If it turns out that a slaughterhouse repeatedly makes mistakes, Schouten wants to be able to impose a mandatory closure or suspension more quickly; provided the abuses are proportional. Schouten also wants to be able to prosecute slaughterhouse employees. The minister will elaborate on her plans in the autumn.

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is Head of Meat & Dairy at BoerenbusinessAt DCA Market Intelligence, he focuses on dairy, pork, and meat markets. He also monitors (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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