NMa: no objections against agreements on the castration of boars with the use of anesthesia

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) does not have any objections against the agreements that have been made among various organizations with regard to the castrating of boars with the use of anesthesia, as long as slaughterhouses will still be able to buy boars that have been castrated without the use of anesthesia as well. These agreements are not expected to have any effects that will clearly impede competition, according to the NMa.

This is concluded in an informal opinion of the NMa that has been published today. The NMa had been requested by various organizations, such as Dutch supermarket trade association CBL, the Central Organization for the Meat Industry (COV), the Dutch Organization for Agriculture and Horticulture (LTO Nederland), and the Dutch Pig Farmers' Union (NVV), to rule on the issue, whether the arrangements they made with regard to the castrating of boars with the use of anesthesia are in accordance with Dutch competition law. The organizations made these agreements in november 2007 in order to improve animal welfare, and their aim is to put an end to the castration of boars in 2015 at the latest. Furthermore, they have introduced an interim measure for the entire production chain, which will result in supermarkets that are members of CBL only carrying fresh pork meat made from boars that have been castrated with the use of anesthesia.

This informal opinion of the NMa, however, does not relieve the organizations in question from their obligation to fully comply with the Dutch Competition Act. As a competition authority, the NMa will keep a close watch on these organizations on whether their agreements will remain to fall within the boundaries of the Competition Act. The informal opinion (in Dutch) can be found online on the NMa's website www.acm.nl.