MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Mandatory hygiene locks for mobile poultry coops – E-001201/2025

Question for written answer  E-001201/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Christine Schneider (PPE)

Germany’s Poultry Salmonella Ordinance provides that, for every flock, poultry coops must be equipped with hygiene locks. This obligation was introduced to transpose at national level the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 on the control of salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents.

• 1.To what extent do the Commission’s plans for controlling salmonella and other agents align with the German Government’s interpretation and the resulting national obligation to have hygiene locks for each flock/epidemiological unit?
• 2.To what extent does the hygiene lock obligation apply to mobile poultry coops, especially given that, in such contexts, the presence of pathogens spread by third parties, wild animals or birds cannot in any way be ruled out?
• 3.What affordable technical solutions for installing these mandatory hygiene locks does the Commission know of, which can be retrofitted onto existing mobile coops if necessary, meet the requirements and are practical and safe for day-to-day operations, especially as mobile poultry coops generally have limited space and water and electricity supply available?

Submitted: 20.3.2025