Judgment of the Court (Seventh Chamber) of 3 April 2008 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Rechtbank Zutphen (Netherlands)) — Criminal proceedings against Dirk Endendijk

(Case C-187/07) (1)

(Directive 91/629/EEC - Decision 97/182/EC - Rearing of calves - Individual pens - Prohibition on tethering calves - Meaning of the verb ‘tether’ - Material and length - Different language versions - Uniform interpretation)

(2008/C 128/23)

Language of the case: Dutch

Referring court

Rechtbank Zutphen

Party in the main proceedings

Dirk Endendijk

Re:

Reference for a preliminary ruling — Rechtbank Zutphen — Interpretation of point 8 of the Annex to Council Directive 91/629/EEC of 19 November 1991 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves (OJ 1991 L 340, p. 28) read in conjunction with Article 1(3) of Commission Decision 97/182/EC of 24 February 1997 amending the Annex to Directive 91/629 (OJ 1997 L 76, p. 30) — Meaning of ‘tether’

Operative part of the judgment

A calf is tethered within the meaning of Council Directive 91/629/EEC of 19 November 1991 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves, as amended by Commission Decision 97/182/EC of 24 February 1997, where it is tied by a rope, irrespective of the material, length and purpose of that rope.

(1)  OJ C 129, 9.6.2007.