WRITTEN QUESTION E-0862/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 March 2001)

Subject: Foot and mouth disease

1. Will the Commission state which countries that are trading partners of the EU currently have clear evidence of the existence of foot and mouth disease among cloven-hooved animals?

2. What action is taken to ensure that infected meat is not imported into the EU?

3. At what point was the Commission first aware of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in South Africa, and at what point did it introduce measures to deal with the threat of contagion?

4. What accounts for the delay?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2001)

Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972, on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, meat and meat products from third countries(1) lays down the basic animal health import conditions. On this basis a number of specific Commission Decisions laying down the specific animal health conditions and veterinary certification for these animals and products have been adopted following advice from the Standing Veterinary Committee.

Council Decision 79/542/EEC of 21 December 1976 lays down a list of third countries from which Member States authorize imports of bovine animals, swine and fresh meat(2) and other products in accordance with Directive 72/462/EEC. As regards foot and mouth disease (FMD), only South American and Southern African countries are relevant with regard to meat and meat products. Specific rules are laid down for imports from the listed countries which either experience outbreaks of foot and mouth in parts of the country, and/or where vaccination is practised. Imports of domestic animals from these countries into the Community is not permitted.

The animal health conditions and veterinary certification are laid down for these countries in Commission Decision 93/402/EEC of 10 June 1993 concerning animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from South American countries(3) and Commission Decision 1999/283/EC of 12 April 1999 concerning the animal health conditions and veterinary certification for imports of fresh meat from certain African countries(4),

and provide for the following concerning foot and mouth disease:

- that holdings/areas of origin of the animals to be slaughtered in order that their meat is exported to the Community have been FMD-free for a certain period of time;

- de-boning and maturation of meat, which has been shown scientifically to ensure that should any FMD virus be present it would be destroyed by this process. This has been shown to be effective in practice over the last 30 years.

In addition the Commission (Food and Veterinary Office) carries out on-the-spot missions in these countries to ensure that these provisions are properly implemented.

The outbreak was confirmed in a pig farm near Durban in South Africa on 17 September 2000 and the Commission was informed on 18 September 2000. A detailed report was received from the Veterinary Authorities of South Africa on 20 September 2000 which was forwarded to the Chief Veterinary Officers of the Member States.

In spite of the fact that imports of pig meat are not authorised from South Africa export certification of all fresh meat from susceptible species was immediately and automatically suspended as the veterinary certification laid down in Commission Decision 1999/283/EC could no longer be signed by the Veterinary Authorities of South Africa.

There was no delay.

(1) OJ L 302, 31.12.1972.

(2) OJ L 146, 14.6.1979.

(3) OJ L 179, 22.7.1993.

(4) OJ L 110, 28.4.1999.