WRITTEN QUESTION E-0412/01

by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: EU action against BSE in cattle

BSE has been known to occur in cattle since the mid-1980s. When cases began to multiply in the UK in particular, the EU reacted with an export ban on British beef, which was half-heartedly imposed before being eventually lifted. Despite wide-ranging public concern about BSE and despite the high sensitivity to this issue on the part of producers and consumers alike, scientific research has been absolutely neglected.

The Commission consequently is asked:

1. Why has research into the causes of BSE been so criminally neglected?

2. What action has been agreed to catch up with the research backlog in as short a time as possible?

3. What research status is assigned to investigating the effects of brain toxins on cattle, and in what manner will the results be made public?

4. What research is being conducted into how BSE is transmitted to humans, the better to enable it to be combated successfully?

5. In what ways are products other than animal meal that are exposed to the risk of toxic contamination being used?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(17 May 2001)

1. Research on human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) has been supported within the Community research programmes since 1990 with a total Community contribution of 53 880 million ( 2 120 million during the Second and Third framework programme, 50 700 million within the European Action Plan on TSE adopted by the Council and the Parliament in November 1996(1) and implemented by three specific calls for proposals, and 1 060 million within the Fifth framework programme(2)). In addition, nine new proposals are currently under negotiation with a total contribution of 10,6 million. Therefore, a total contribution of 64,48 million has been allocated to TSE research in the research programmes.

The Joint Research Centre of the Commission (JRC) has engaged in an extensive programme for the evaluation of post-mortem tests on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infection and the establishment of appropriate measures for quality assurance in the ongoing monitoring programme. It is also engaged in programmes for the evaluation of methods for the detection of meat and bone meal in animal feed and for the assessment of heat treatment of animal meat and bone meal.

2. In line with the conclusions of the Research Council of 16 November 2000, an expert group with representatives from Member States, experts from the Ad hoc Group of TSE of the Scientific Steering Committee and from the Joint Research Centre has been set up in order to:

- examine the state of TSE research across Member States,

- encourage exchange of information between research teams; and

- identify on-going research topics which need strengthening as well as new research areas.

3. Research into the pathogenesis and in particular the mechanisms and factors involved in neuroinvasion, neurodegeneration and neuronal death is an important area of research both at national and in the framework of Community projects.

Research results are made public through publications in scientific journals.

4. Considerable effort has been undertaken into research on transmission both at national and Community level in view of performing risk assessment and of combating the disease. The research includes different aspects of transmission, notably the determination of infectivity of tissues, the determination of the oral infective dose, the verification if TSEs can be transmitted to other food animals, the investigation of lateral and vertical transmission and the investigation of other mechanisms of transmission.

5. Council Directive 1999/29/EC of 22 April 1999 on the undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition(3) establishes maximum levels for undesirable substances and products for feedingstuffs and feed materials. Only feedingstuffs and feed materials complying with the provisions of the above mentioned Directive can be used for animal nutrition. Consequently, the risk of toxic contamination is minimised. Moreover, the Commission submitted on 17 December 1999, for adoption by the Parliament and Council, a proposal for a Directive of the Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition(4) significantly strengthening the provisions of above mentioned Directive.

(1) COM(96) 582 final.

(2) OJ C 137, 7.6.1997.

(3) OJ L 115, 4.5.1999.

(4) OJ C 89 E, 28.3.2000 as amended by COM(2000) 861 final.