WRITTEN QUESTION P-2602/98

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (V) to the Commission

(29 July 1998)

Subject: BSE cases in Switzerland

1. Can the Commission provide information on how many cases of BSE have been registered or notified in Switzerland each year from 1990 until now?

2. What steps has the Commission taken to stop the spread of BSE in the EU through cattle and/or beef from Switzerland?

3. Can the Commission explain what measures the Swiss authorities have taken to prevent the spread of BSE through exports of cattle and/or beef to EU and non-EU countries?

4. Does the Commission know which EU Member States have taken steps to stop the spread of BSE in their countries through cattle and/or beef from Switzerland? What individual measures are involved?

5. Does the Commission have precise figures on a) how many cattle have been exported from Switzerland to the Community since 1990 and b) how much beef has been imported from Switzerland into the Community for each year since 1990?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 1998)

1. The number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) notified by the Swiss authorities each year since 1990 is as follows:

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2. and 3. When BSE was first diagnosed in Switzerland in November 1990, the Swiss authorities immediately took preventive measures similar to those adopted by Member States. The first measure, taken on 8 November 1990, was a ban on the use in human food of brain, eyes, spinal cord, spleen, thymus, intestines, visible lymph and nerve tissue and lymph nodes from cattle over 6 months' old. This was followed on 1 December 1990 by a series of measures including compulsory notification, slaughter and examination of the brains of cattle suspected of having BSE, incineration of the affected carcasses and destruction of any semen or embryos, a ban on marketing milk from cows suspected of having BSE or from affected cows, tattooing and a ban on the export of offspring of infected cows, a ban on feeding meat-and-bone meal to ruminants, and a ban on imports of live cattle, certain meat products and meat-and-bone meal from Great Britain.

As of May 1996 the brain, spinal cord and eyes and fallen cattle have had to be incinerated. The slaughter of all direct offspring of cows infected with BSE became mandatory in September 1996.

This was followed by the introduction of compulsory slaughter of all bovine animals on farms affected by a case of BSE if the animal in question was born after 1 December 1990 (the date on which the feed ban came into force) and the compulsory slaughter of all bovine animals born before 1 December 1990 on affected farms if the animal in question was born before 1 December 1990.

In December 1996 specific import conditions were introduced for live cattle, small ruminants and meat products. More specific measures have been introduced in the course of 1998, including a ban on the use of bones of the vertebral column, the sacrum and the tail of cows for food purposes and compulsory heat treatment of tallow for feeding purposes (133 °C/20 minutes).

The Commission has kept in regular contact with the Swiss authorities and has received full information on the course of the Swiss BSE epidemic and the measures taken by the Swiss authorities in response to it. Commission inspection visits have also been carried out to examine the implementation of the measures in Switzerland. Further to these contacts and inspections the Commission is satisfied that the appropriate measures have been taken by the Swiss authorities and it does not consider it necessary to propose any additional measures in respect of imports of live cattle and beef from Switzerland.

4. The Commission has information on the national measures adopted by four Member States with regard to the imports of live bovine animals or of beef and veal from Switzerland. Austria and Germany have prohibited such imports while Italy and France limit imports to boneless meats accompanied by a special health certificate.

5. Community imports of live bovine animals and of beef and veal from Switzerland:

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