2017/0505/E
EC/EFTA
ES Spain
  • C00A - AGRICULTURE, FISHING AND FOODSTUFFS
2018-01-29
2017-11-07

SNAILS OR THEIR ANIMAL PRODUCTS

ORDER OF THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS AND THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH ORDERING THE PUBLICATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE SPECIFIC TECHNICAL STANDARD FOR ORGANIC FARMING IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY RELATING TO SNAIL FARMING

The document being notified is not a new technical standard but an amendment to a technical standard that has already been notified and previously authorised by the European Commission.

In 2010, pursuant to Law 10/2006 on organic food and farming in the Basque Country and following prior notification to the European Commission, the standard governing snail farming (Specific Technical Standard for Organic Farming in the Basque Country relating to snail farming) was published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country by way of Order of 4 May 2010 of the Minister for the Environment, Spatial Planning, Agriculture and Fisheries.

This initial standard contains the set of technical standards for organic farming in the Basque Country relating to snail farming, and includes the general principles to which the organic farming and marketing of snails must adhere, as well as the specific requirements concerning the following matters:

- the conversion of snails and land associated with snail farming

- the type of snail that can be used in organic farming

- the type of feed permitted during snail farming

- disease prevention and veterinary care

- breeding rules and maintenance of farm buildings and installations

- husbandry management practices, transport and identification of animals and animal products.

In this new order being notified, the intention is to publish the changes drawn up and approved by the Organic Food and Farming Council in the Basque Country with regard to the technical standard for organic snail farming. The changes are due to the requirement to update the references to currently applicable European organic farming legislation, the need to adapt certain snail farming requirements that have already been generally laid down in said legislation for all types of farms, and the need to remove the limit set for the total surface area of the farms’ outdoor pens. The aim of removing the aforementioned limit is to bring the size of snail farms into line with current requirements in such a way as to ensure the activity’s economic viability.