WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1948/96 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. BSE
Date: 1996-07-16
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: United Kingdom, animal disease, cattle, export restriction, health risk, medical research, public health, research report, veterinary inspection, veterinary medicine













EUR-Lex - 91996E1948 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1948

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1948/96 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. BSE  


Official Journal C 011 , 13/01/1997 P. 0029 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1948/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (16 July 1996)Subject: BSE1. Is it true that the decision to relax the export ban was based on a non-impartial study by the gelatin industry?2. Who drew up the study?3. Who financed the study?4. What is the Commission's view of the scandal that a study evidently financed by the industry as a favour was taken as the basis for the relaxation of the export ban without regard for the serious health implications?Joint answer to Written Questions E-1948/96 and E-1950/96 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 October 1996)Commission Decision 96/239/EC on emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)SSSS ((OJ L 78, 28.3.1996. )) was taken as a safeguard measure in order to allow for re-evaluation of the situation. This Decision was based on the opinion of the scientific veterinary committee of 22 March 1996.Commission Decision 96/362/EC ((OJ L 139, 12.6.1996. )) amending Decision 96/239/EC was based on a scientific assessment that gelatin and tallow produced in accordance with the rules laid down in the Annex to the Decision, and semen, were considered safe. One of the most important criteria in assessing the safety of the gelatin is the sourcing of the raw material. In this respect, therefore, all tissues which have been shown to contain infectivity or could be contaminated with the infective agent (skull, vertebral column, brain, spinal cord, eye, tonsil, thymus, intestines and spleen) are excluded. The skin and bones which may be used in gelatin manufacture are classified as low risk tissues.An interim report by Inveresk research international limited, an independent research laboratory, on the validation of the clearance of scrapie from the manufacturing process of gelatin (IRI Project No 851180) was another element used in the risk-assessment of gelatin. The study was financed by the gelatine manufacturers of Europe, an organisation with members throughout Europe.As a result of the final report by Inveresk research international limited, which was presented to the Commission after Decision 96/362/EC had been adopted, the Commission has asked its scientific advisers to re-assess the safety of gelatin. However, other scientific evidence supports the thesis that chemical and heat treatments used in gelatin manufacturing will contribute to the inactivation of any agent which could be present. Further research on the inactivation of the BSE and scrapie agents in gelatin manufacture are under consideration.Decision 96/362/EC requires that the export of gelatin from the United Kingdom will not take place until the Commission has carried out inspections and found the production to be in accordance with the Decision. This will not be implemented until the scientific advice is clarified.