WRITTEN QUESTION P-0193/98 by Paul Lannoye (V) to the Commission (28 January 1998)

Subject: Zoonoses

Council Directive 97/22/EC ((OJ L 113, 30.4.1997, p. 9. )) amending Directive 92/117/EEC ((OJ L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 38. )) concerning measures for protection against specified zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents adds Article 15a to the latter directive stipulating that the Commission must submit a report to the Council before 1 November 1997 on the measures to be implemented for the control and prevention of zoonoses.

Can the Commission inform me of the report's conclusions?

Which are the Member States which, by 1 January 1998, had still not implemented the minimum measures laid down for salmonella in Annex III, Section I (Article 10(1) of Directive 92/117/EEC and Article 1(4) of Directive 97/22/EC)?

How many cases of salmonella have been recorded each year in poultry breeding flocks in the different Member States since 1992? How many cases have been recorded in humans during the same period?

In addition, Directive 92/117/EEC lays down a whole series of compulsory measures relating to the four zoonoses defined in Annex I, point I. However, the specific plans (Articles 8 and 10 of Annexes II and III to Directive 92/117/EEC) only cover salmonella. Do the other three zoonoses not pose a problem? If not, why are they retained in Annex I, point I?

The WHO has reported an upsurge in infections caused by the campylobacter bacterium. Since this bacterium is resistant to many antibiotics, should campylobacteriosis not be included in Annex I, point I to Directive 92/117/EEC?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (25 February 1998)

Article 15a of Council Directive 92/117/EEC, as amended by Council Directive 97/22/EC, concerning measures for protection against specified zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal origin in order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications provides for the Commission to submit a report to the Council concerning the measures to be implemented for the control and prevention of zoonoses. Unfortunately the Commission has not been able to respect the time limit of 1 November 1997 to submit this report due to the priority problems emerging from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and the subsequent fundamental restructuring of the Commission services. However, the Commission is now taking action to prepare the report. At this stage the Commission is not able to provide any conclusions.

According to Article 10, paragraph 1, of Directive 92/117/EEC Member States shall implement as from 1 January 1998 the minimum measures laid down for salmonella in Annex III, Section I. To this date the Commission has received notifications as provided in Article 2 of Council Directive 97/22/EC from Germany, Luxemburg, Austria, Sweden and United Kingdom. Infringement proceedings have been opened against those Member States which have not yet notified their national provisions. Salmonella control plans in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 2, of Directive 92/117/EEC have been approved for Denmark, Ireland, Finland and Sweden (Commission Decisions 94/507/EC, 96/389/EC, 96/390/EC and 96/502/EC, respectively). This approval is a prerequisite for financial assistance from the Community for the control of salmonella in poultry. So far financial assistance has been granted only for Denmark.

According to Article 5 of Directive 92/117/EEC Member States are obliged to report annually to the Commission the trends and sources of zoonotic infections. The Commission evaluates the information supplied by Member States and reports to the standing veterinary committee. This excercise was carried out for the first time for the year 1994 and since then on an annual basis. The Commission is currently evaluating the data referring to 1996 and will shortly report to the standing veterinary committee. The 1995 report is forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament.

Annex I, point I of Directive 92/117/EEC covers tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis; brucellosis, salmonellosis and trichinosis. The Commission has over several decades developed measures to control or even eradicate bovine tuberculosis, bovine brucellosis and brucellosis in sheep and goats. Consequently these zoonoses have been eradicated in the Community or are the subject of advanced eradication and surveillance programmes. The measures are prescribed inter alia in the appropriate trade directives (e.g. Council Directive 64/432/EEC on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and swine). Those Member States in which these zoonoses still exist may apply for financial assistance from the Community for eradication and monitoring programmes. The control and surveillance measures for trichinosis are laid down in the appropriate meat hygiene directives (e.g. Council Directive 64/433/EEC on health conditions for the production and the marketing of fresh meat). Since trichinosis is eradicated in most Member States the Commission is currently considering regionalisation based on scientific criteria in order to allow relief from the exhaustive sampling of pig meat in areas free from trichinosis. Provisions on hygiene in general and certain specific measures regarding salmonella have been laid down in various directives providing for the hygiene of products of animal origin (e.g. Council Directive 71/118/EEC on health problems affecting the production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat). Due to the increased number of cases of human salmonellosis derived from poultry products certain specific measures aimed to control salmonella in poultry were introduced in Directive 92/117/EEC.

The Commission is fully aware of the importance of certain food-borne diseases (e.g. campylobacteriosis and enterohaemorrhagic E.coli infections). As is the case for salmonella these zoonotic agents are ubiquitous in the natural environment and can consequently be isolated at various levels from clinically healthy domestic animals and from wildlife. Also the possibility of human carriers and infection through other sources (vegetables, water, pets etc.) must be considered. However, the knowledge of their pathogenicity, virulence and epidemiology is very sparse and satisfactory routine testing methods are lacking. Expanded surveillance and research is needed to provide the epidemiological information and appropriate testing methods. Only when such tools are available can appropriate measures be implemented to identify potentially high-risk animals and to recommend, with confidence, actions for reducing the prevalence of these zoonotic agents in herds. Meanwhile the Commission is considering how abattoirs and processing plants can institute practices to reduce contamination and cross-contamination of food and to avoid recontamination of heat treated products (hazard analysis critical control point system - HACCP). The Commission intends also to introduce certain concrete measures to improve slaughter hygiene by preparing the appropriate proposals to amend the existing directives concerning meat hygiene.