# CE2004084EN.01041901.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/419 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/419

---

(2004/C 84 E/0489)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0505/04

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 February 2004)

Subject:   Use of meat-and-bone meal in animal feed

Subject:

In the European Union, the use of meat-and-bone meal as animal feed is banned, even if it is derived from healthy animals.

| 1. | In 2004, do the grounds on which the ban was originally based still apply, even in the case of feed for omnivores? |
| --- | --- |

1.

In 2004, do the grounds on which the ban was originally based still apply, even in the case of feed for omnivores?

| 2. | Can the Commission guarantee that animal products exported to the Community from third countries are not derived from animals which have been fed with meat-and-bone meal? |
| --- | --- |

2.

Can the Commission guarantee that animal products exported to the Community from third countries are not derived from animals which have been fed with meat-and-bone meal?

| 3. | If the answer to question 2 is negative, does this constitute fair competition? Is the Commission concerned about the possible impact on public health in the European Union? |
| --- | --- |

3.

If the answer to question 2 is negative, does this constitute fair competition? Is the Commission concerned about the possible impact on public health in the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 March 2004)

(24 March 2004)

| 1. | The high number of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases arising after the introduction of a prohibition against using mammalian proteins in feed intended for ruminants in 1994 indicated a significant degree of contamination between ruminant feed and feed intended for other species and containing these proteins. Therefore, a prohibition on the use of animal proteins in the feeding of all farmed animals was necessary.
  It has also proved necessary to ban the use of non-ruminant protein in feed for control reasons. In particular, analytical methods to differentiate ruminant from non-ruminant proteins in feed are not available. Therefore, if non-ruminant proteins are being used in feed, it is not possible to detect the presence of potentially infected ruminant proteins. The current extended feed ban can only be reconsidered when methods detecting heat treated species specific proteins are validated. Such methods are currently not available and therefore the arguments to keep the extended feed ban are still applicable. The Commission continues to provide financial resources to support research on such methods (Stratfeed project, ring trials in 2003 and 2004). |
| --- | --- |

1.

The high number of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases arising after the introduction of a prohibition against using mammalian proteins in feed intended for ruminants in 1994 indicated a significant degree of contamination between ruminant feed and feed intended for other species and containing these proteins. Therefore, a prohibition on the use of animal proteins in the feeding of all farmed animals was necessary.

It has also proved necessary to ban the use of non-ruminant protein in feed for control reasons. In particular, analytical methods to differentiate ruminant from non-ruminant proteins in feed are not available. Therefore, if non-ruminant proteins are being used in feed, it is not possible to detect the presence of potentially infected ruminant proteins. The current extended feed ban can only be reconsidered when methods detecting heat treated species specific proteins are validated. Such methods are currently not available and therefore the arguments to keep the extended feed ban are still applicable. The Commission continues to provide financial resources to support research on such methods (Stratfeed project, ring trials in 2003 and 2004).

| 2. | The import of animal products derived from animals fed with animal proteins in third countries is not prohibited. This is because the prohibition to use processed animal proteins in feed for non-ruminants is a control measure aimed at preventing the spread of BSE to ruminants in the EU. Meat from non-ruminants having been fed processed animal proteins is not considered to be a human health risk. |
| --- | --- |

2.

The import of animal products derived from animals fed with animal proteins in third countries is not prohibited. This is because the prohibition to use processed animal proteins in feed for non-ruminants is a control measure aimed at preventing the spread of BSE to ruminants in the EU. Meat from non-ruminants having been fed processed animal proteins is not considered to be a human health risk.

| 3. | The most important measure to protect consumers' health against BSE is the removal of specified BSE risk material, such as brain and spinal cord, from food. These measures apply equally to Member States and third countries. The aim of the feed ban is to eradicate BSE, which has had serious economic consequences for the whole EU. Disease eradication measures may need to be applied differently in different countries depending on the disease situation, without this necessarily being seen as unequal competition. |
| --- | --- |

3.

The most important measure to protect consumers' health against BSE is the removal of specified BSE risk material, such as brain and spinal cord, from food. These measures apply equally to Member States and third countries. The aim of the feed ban is to eradicate BSE, which has had serious economic consequences for the whole EU. Disease eradication measures may need to be applied differently in different countries depending on the disease situation, without this necessarily being seen as unequal competition.

---