Activites

• 1999/12/23 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Decision 1999/879
  • OJ L 331 23.12.1999, p. 0071
• #2237
• 1999/12/17 Council Meeting
• 1999/12/17 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1999/12/17 Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
• 1999/12/16 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0175/1999 summary

    In adopting the report by Mrs Hedwig KEPPELHOFF-WIECHERT (EPP/ED, D), the European Parliament approved the proposal concerning the placing on the market and the administration of bovine somatotropine (BST). Moreover, it requests that: - the Commission continues to follow the scientific research on the potential adverse effects on human health of dietary exposure to products derived from rBST-treated dairy cows and, if necessary, make recommendation for further preventive measures; - the Union's financial resources are not used, directly or indirectly, in order to support the manufacture, packaging or exportation of rBST.�

• 1999/12/15 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1999/12/13 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0098/1999
• 1999/11/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1999/10/26 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1999)0544 summary

    PURPOSE : to ban for reasons of animal health and welfare the marketing and use of bovine somatotrophin (BST) in the Community as from 01/01/2000. CONTENT : Council Decision 90/218/EEC concerning the placing on the market and administration of Bovine somatotrophin (BST), was last amended by Council Decision 94/936/EC extending the moratorium on the marketing and use of BST in the Community until 31/12/1999. Article 2 of Council Decision 94/936/EC provides that the Commission entrust a Working Party of independent scientists with the task of assessing the effects of using BST, taking into account of the opinion of the Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, in particular as regards the impact of the use of this product on the incidence of mastitis. The Scientific Committee on Animal Welfare (SCAWAH), on 10/04/1999, adopted its report on Animal Welfare Aspects of the Use of Bovine Somatotrophin and stated that BST increases the risk of clinical mastitis as well as the duration of treatment of mastitis, that it increases the incidence of foot and leg disorders and that it can affect adversely reproduction as well as induce severe reactions at the injection site. Council Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes states in Annex point 18 that no other substance with the exception of those given for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes shall be administered to an animal unless it has been demonstrated by scientific studies of animal welfare or established experience that the effect of the substance is not detrimental to the health or welfare of the animal. BST is not used in cattle for therapeutic purposes, but only to enhance milk production. Therefore, the opinion of the SCAHAW is that BST should not be used in dairy cows. The Protocol on protection and welfare of animals annexed to the Treaty of the European Union calls on the Community and the Member States, when formulating and implementing the Community's agricultural policy, to pay full regard to the health and welfare requirements of animals. By Decision 78/923/EEC, the Community has approved the European Convention for the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes (hereinafter called 'the Convention') and has deposited its instrument of approval. All Member States have also ratified this Convention. Therefore, in the light of this opinion, it is proposed to ban for reasons of animal health and welfare the marketing and use of BST in the Community as from 01/01/2000, in accordance with the provisions laid down in Council Decision 98/58/EC on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. However, undertakings buying or producing bovine somatotrophin substances and undertakings authorized in any capacity to market such substances shall be required to keep registers detailing, in chronological order, quantities produced or acquired and those sold or from whom they were purchased. The above information must be made available to the competent authority at its request and, in the case of computerized records, in the form of a printout. Furthermore, it should be noted that this proposal has noimpact on imports of dairy products from third countries and it has no financial implications for the Community budget. �

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm', 'title': 'Health and Consumers'}],

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1999)0544
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A5-0098/1999
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0175/1999
• : Decision 1999/879
• : OJ L 331 23.12.1999, p. 0071

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)