Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 28 February 2008 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven, Netherlands) — A.G. Winkel v Minister van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit

(Case C-446/06) (1)

(Beef and veal - Common organisation of the markets - Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 - Article 3(f) - Grant of a suckler cow premium - Conditions consistent with usual animal husbandry practice)

(2008/C 107/07)

Language of the case: Dutch

Referring court

College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: A.G. Winkel

Defendants: Minister van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit

Re:

Reference for a preliminary ruling — College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven — Interpretation of Article 3(f) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1254 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal (OJ L 1999 L 160, p. 21) — Compatibility of national legislation which makes the award of a suckler-cow premium subject to conditions corresponding to a usual animal husbandry practice

Operative part of the judgment

Article 3(f) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1512/2001 of 23 July 2001, does not preclude national rules which make the right to a suckler cow premium subject to conditions consistent with usual animal husbandry practice that require, first, a certain frequency of calving and secondly, that the calf should have been suckled by its mother for a period of four months after its birth.

(1)  OJ C 326, 30.12.2006.