B4-0458/96

Resolution on the Commission's measures with regard to BSE

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) of 22 January 1993 ((OJ C 42, 15.2.1993, p. 273.)),

- having regard to the Commission decision to ban exports of British beef and beef products because of BSE,

A. having regard to the recent disclosures in the United Kingdom of the deaths of a number of people suffering from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, probably following contamination by BSE,

B. having regard to the current scientific suspicions relating to the possible transmission of BSE to humans and the serious concerns which these have aroused among the European public,

C. whereas the long incubation period and the current lack of proof concerning the pathogen make it extremely difficult to investigate transmissibility to humans and to identify infected animals,

D. whereas not all the scientific information held in the United Kingdom on persons suspected of having contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease after consuming contaminated meat has been circulated,

E. having regard to the serious situation of beef producers in the United Kingdom and the drop in consumption throughout Europe,

F. whereas the repercussions extend well beyond Britain, since falls in beef and veal consumption have been recorded in other Member States,

G. whereas the failure by UK authorities to slaughter entire herds whenever BSE was diagnosed in one or more cattle has played a major part in this agricultural catastrophe,

H. whereas Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease should become a notifiable disease in all EU countries,

I. whereas the UK Government bears a duty of responsibility for a policy of openness and transparency with respect to its own population,

1. Regrets that the UK authorities failed to inform the Commission in advance of their statement of 19 March 1996 and that other Member States failed to inform the Commission before imposing unilateral bans on UK beef imports;

2. Takes the view that the European Union and the Member States must give priority to safeguarding public health and protecting consumers;

3. Considers it vital to implement forthwith an action plan to eradicate BSE, jointly financed by the European Union, which provides if necessary for the immediate slaughter of the infected animals and herds;

4. Believes, by way of reciprocal solidarity, that EU aid should co-finance such a slaughter programme including compensation commensurate with losses incurred;

5. Considers as inevitable the ban on exports of meat and meat-based products from the United Kingdom as an urgent and temporary measure, to be maintained until this eradication plan has proved effective;

6. Calls on the Commission to consider consumer protection as an absolute priority, and expresses its conviction that it can only be achieved by means of effective measures at European level; deplores the fact that sufficient action to that end has not been taken in time and that the risks to the health and well-being of its citizens have been continuously underestimated by the UK Government;

7. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all scientific discoveries on the subject of the link between BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are made public, accessible and comprehensible to all consumers;

8. Is convinced that only full publicity of all facts regarding the possible health risks associated with beef production can restore public confidence in the market and protect both consumers and farmers alike;

9. Calls on the Commission to adopt control measures to prevent any diversions of traffic that could allow imports of, and trade in, beef and veal originating in the United Kingdom;

10. Calls on the Commission to conduct further research into the transmission of BSE to humans until there is clarity as to the risk to humans from eating beef from BSE-infected herds;

11. Calls for the creation of a European scientific committee independent of the interests of national governments and the agri-foodstuffs industry, which would be responsible for the coordination of research, on-going assessment and the transparent dissemination of data and studies on BSE;

12. Instructs its competent committees to organize an immediate public hearing on the subject;

13. Calls on the UK authorities to make public all scientific research which they have carried out on the possible links between BSE and Creutzfeldt- Jakob disease in the interests of consumer health and safety;

14. Is concerned at the very difficult situation of beef farmers and producers in the United Kingdom, both in economic terms and in terms of jobs;

15. Considers that the European Union must show its solidarity with the producers affected by the lack of beef consumption in the European Union; calls on the Commission, therefore, to make provision for Community support measures seeking to prevent the drastic collapse of this important economic sector, and asks it in this connection to submit as soon as possible to Parliament the relevant financial estimates;

16. Considers the total ban on the production and use of meat meal or by- products of slaughter in animal feed to be essential in order to avoid any future danger of transmission of diseases from one species to another;

17. Takes the view that it is essential for the carcass-processing standards agreed upon by the Council that should have been in force throughout the Community since November 1991 to be applied equally in all Member States, as already called for in its abovementioned resolution of 22 January 1993; recommends that in those Member States where that standard is not complied with the production and use of animal meal should be banned;

18. Calls for monitoring of the implementation of the action plan to eradicate BSE to be coordinated by the Commission, and for it to be applied not only to the United Kingdom but to all the Member States;

19. Recommends that the Commission, in line with earlier resolutions of the EP, take steps to develop in the future proposals for a Europe-wide quality label for foodstuffs;

20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States.