Activites

• 2001/08/08 Final act published in Official Journal
• #2343
• 2001/04/24 Council Meeting
  • 2343
• #2309
• 2000/11/20 Council Meeting
  • 2309 summary

    The Council closely examined the situation resulting from recent developments with regard to BSE and took note of the various emergency measures adopted over the last few days. It confirmed the need to guarantee the highest possible level of consumer protection and to win back consumer confidence. It also took note of the resolution passed by the European Parliament on the previous Thursday. It confirmed the importance of the measures taken with regard to traceability, including the labelling of processed products, and the withdrawal of specified risk material (SRM), at both Community and national level, to protect the health of consumers. At Community level the following measures have already been taken: - surveillance measures for the detection, control and eradication of BSE; - ban on feeding mammalian meat and bone meal to ruminants; - treatment of animal waste at 133 degrees and 3 bar for 20 minutes to reduce its infectivity; - withdrawal from the food chain of SRM from the bovine, ovine and caprine species; - implementation of a monitoring programme using rapid tests for categories of animals at risk. The Council noted that it was the responsibility of Member States to ensure that these measures were strictly implemented and took careful note of the Commission's intention to carry out the necessary inspections very promptly. The Council feels there is a need to place the accent on Community harmonisation of the approach to these matters. The Council therefore welcomed the Commission's recent proposals: - to extend approved rapid screening tests as of 1 January 2001 for all bovines at risk aged over 30 months; - in the light of the experience gained with this initial decision, to take a new decision on how the programme will be implemented as from 1 July 2001 for bovines aged over 30 months entering the food chain; - to exclude the use of carcasses in farm animal feed. �

• 2000/11/16 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0511/2000 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a joint resolution recalling that a ban on feeding ruminants with meat-and-bone meal has been in force throughout the EU since 1994. In its resolution Parliament calls for a ban on animal feed production and farm feeding practices that involve recycling animal remains to cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and fish as long as Member States cannot guarantee the implementation of existing EU laws (heating of meat-and-bone meal at 133°C, 3 bar for 20 minutes and guaranteed separation of specific risk materials). Blood and blood products must also be banned in animal feed. The Commission should inform Parliament as to which Member States have implemented and properly enforced EU legislation banning meat-and-bone meal in feed for ruminants and stipulating the heat/pressure method to be used in its production. Furthermore, the Parliament also reiterates its call for the rapid introduction of compulsory testing for BSE in all cattle, sheep and goats destined for slaughter, starting with all those above 18 months of age, in all Member States. It says tests for TSEs should be developed rapidly and demands that the necessary funding be provided. As there is now a problem in disposing meat-and-bone meal, Parliament calls for a Community plan for transport, storage and incineration. It also suggests that such meal could be used as fuel in electricity plants or in cement productions. Finally, Parliament calls for an emergency system which would enable the Commission to take immediate action when Community standards are not properly monitored in the Member States. The Commission is called upon to prepare a proposal obliging Member States to report annually to the Commission and Parliament in the outcome of enforcement of all relevant EU legislation concerning the beef sector and animal nutrition and inspection. �

Documents

• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0511/2000
• Debate in Council: 2309
• Debate in Council: 2343

History

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