WRITTEN QUESTION E-3605/98

by Quinídio Correia (PSE) to the Commission

(3 December 1998)

Subject: Inclusion of Madeira in the ban on exports of Portuguese beef and veal

Unlike the Azores, Madeira has been included in the ban on exports of Portuguese beef and veal.

In this connection the following points should be taken into consideration:

- the off-the-bone meat consumed in Madeira is imported direct from Brazil and Uruguay (and, to a lesser extent, from Australia and New Zealand), countries in which there is no BSE;

- virtually all on-the-bone meat comes from slaughterhouses which are approved and certified by the EU;

- all other beef and veal consumed comes from the Azores and (to a very small extent) from local producers in Madeira, regions in which no case of BSE has ever been detected;

- the animals in question are not fed on meal containing potentially risky products, in particular ones derived from the processing of the meat and bones of contaminated animals;

- the imposition of the ban will have a detrimental effect on producers, traders, consumers and the tourist industry in Madeira.

In view of the above, would the Commission answer the following questions?

1. On the basis of what facts was a decision taken to extend the ban on Portuguese beef and veal to Madeira?

2. Did Community inspectors carry out any inspection in Madeira with a view to confirming or refuting the above points?

3. Is there really any risk that consumers may contract the disease?

4. Has the Commission any plans to compensate Madeira for the damage suffered as a result of the ban?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 1999)

1. Commission Decision 98/653/EC, of 18 November 1998, concerning emergency measures made necessary by the occurrence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Portugal(1) applies to the entire territory of Portugal, with the exception of the territory of the autonomous region of the Azores. During the legislative process the Portuguese authorities requested the exclusion of the autonomous region of the Azores from the embargo, on the basis of its favourable epidemiological situation. The Portuguese authorities did not request a similar exclusion for the autonomous region of Madeira.

2. The missions of the Commission have not yet targeted the epidemiological situation specific to the autonomous regions of Portugal.

3. With respect to the protection of consumers from exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the Community is taking a precautionary approach. This is dictated by the fatal nature of the disease, the lack of diagnostic tools, the resistance of the agent to processing techniques in food and feed and the poor understanding of the details of its transmission to man and animal. Both the scientific committees and the International office of epizootics (OIE), charged with assessing methods to protect against transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, have recently issued recommendations on measures to reduce the BSE associated risks. Based on these recommendations and the evolution of the occurrence of BSE in Portugal, the Community has adopted the above emergency measure. This aims at protecting consumers and stopping further spread of the agent, by reinforcing the protective measures already in place and introducing complementary measures in Portugal and banning the dispatch of certain products.

4. The Commission is not envisaging specific support measures for the autonomous region of Madeira, other then those that are, or are about to be, adopted in the general framework for financial support to Portugal for the eradication and control of BSE.

(1) OJ L 311, 20.11.1998.