WRITTEN QUESTION E-0789/01

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Bullfighting: BSE risk due to failure to comply with Decision 00/418/EC

The Community subsidises the breeding of fighting bulls in the context of the 1987 Regulation on premiums for bulls. The bulls are butchered in the arena in unhygienic conditions, immediately after the fight, and are then sold for consumption. Instruments are used repeatedly both during and after the fight resulting in injuries which can cause BSE-infected nerve tissue to spread throughout the animal's body.

The use of these instruments has been prohibited since 31.12.2000 and the meat cannot be sold (Decision 00/418/EC(1)). The use of these instruments also contravenes Directive 93/119/EC(2), which declares that animals are to be spared unnecessary pain and suffering during slaughtering or killing. As long as the aforementioned instruments are used and the meat is sold, or not correctly disposed of the resultant risk of BSE infection cannot be ruled out. Spain does not currently have a sufficient number of rendering plants, which has led to the storage of large amounts of unsaleable (mechanically deboned) remains of fighting bull meat in cold-storage depots in Andalusia, for example. It is still unclear how the meat is being disposed of. (El Mundo of 11 and 14 November 2000, ABC of 16 November 2000).

1. What is being done to ensure that Decision 00/418/EC is complied with in the context of bullfighting?

2. What is being done to protect consumers from sales of potentially BSE-contaminated fighting bull meat?

3. Is the Commission aware that many of the bulls are drugged with phenylbutazone which, if consumed, causes serious damage to consumers' health? What is the Commission planning to do about this?

(1) OJ L 158, 30.6.2000, p. 76.

(2) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 21.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2001)

Protection of consumer health is one of the prime objectives of the Commission. Any potential health risk relating to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is taken extremely seriously. To this end, a comprehensive series of Community measures has been put in place. These measures, including those established by Commission Decision 2000/418/EC of 29 June 2000 regulating the use of material presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and amending Decision 94/474/EC, also apply to fighting bulls, if the meat of those animals is intended for human consumption. Member States are responsible for its implementation and enforcement. This is then audited by the Food and Veterinary Office. Furthermore, according to the information available to the Commission, the specific methods currently used to kill bulls during bullfights (the descabello or the puntilla) are not considered to increase the risks to the consumers and are thus not prohibited. The Commission is however continuing to follow the situation closely and will review the legislation if new scientific evidence becomes available.

As already stated, all BSE related measures taken at Community level to protect the consumer also apply to fighting bulls. In particular, bulls over 30 months of age killed during the fight and whose meat is destined for human consumption should be tested for BSE.

Community legislation concerning hygiene of fresh meat establishes that the official veterinarian should perform an analysis for residues if there is a suspicion at the time of the inspection. Fresh meat with residue levels above the permitted thresholds should be declared unfit

for human consumption. In addition, the compulsory monitoring plan carried out annually by the Member States should be targeted to animals and active substances of special concern. This should include the use of non-steroidian anti-inflammatory substances referred to by the Honourable Member. The Commission is not aware that many of the fighting bulls are drugged with phenylbutazone and would like to receive appropriate evidence in order to decide on proper follow-up.

Finally, the Commission would like to emphasise that, within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), there is no special subsidy designed to support the breeding of bulls for fighting. However, Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal(1) destined to support the beef production does not exclude specifically those bulls which later appear as being used in bullfights. Livestock farmers decide if and which of their animals (generally a small number of their bulls) will be used for fighting purposes only when the animals are adult. Therefore, at the normal age for applying for the beef premium, the fact that an animal will be used for fighting is unknown.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.