WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4045/97 by Raimo ILASKIVI , Marjo MATIKAINEN-KALLSTRÖM , Jyrki OTILA to the Commission. EHEC bacterium and cattle slaughter
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, ILASKIVI, MATIKAINEN-KALLSTROEM, OTILA
Subjects: Finland, animal disease, cattle, fresh meat, human nutrition, marketing, meat processing industry, public health, slaughter of animals, veterinary inspection

22. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 196/67

During  specific  meetings  the  Commission,  together  with  the  Member  States  and  independent  experts,  is
assessing the sites put forward by the Member States for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network.

Owing to the large number of sites proposed (several thousand) it is not possible to assess the value of each of
these in situ.

In view of the delay in sending the Spanish lists the Commission has introduced an infringement procedure

3.
against Spain for failure to comply with Directive 92/43/EC.

(1)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(98/C 196/91)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4045/97

by Raimo Ilaskivi (PPE), Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE)
and Jyrki Otila (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: EHEC bacterium and cattle slaughter

The EHEC (Enterohaemorrhagic escherichia coli) bacterium which has been observed in cattle in Finland has
made it necessary to slaughter cattle to prevent the spread of the disease. There is good reason for this slaughter,
since people have died and there have been cases of (cid:145)bleeding belly disease(cid:146).

How does the Commission propose to make sure that infected meat is not being used for human and animal
consumption? The slaughter of cattle causes enormous financial losses to farmers; how does the Commission
intend to compensate the farmers for their losses?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 February 1998)

The  production  and  marketing  of  fresh  meat  is  governed  by  the  rules  of  Directive  64/433/EEC  on  health
problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat ((cid:145)Fresh Meat Directive(cid:146)) as consolidated by Directive
91/496/EEC laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the
Community  from  third  countries  and  amending  Directives  89/662/EEC,  90/425/EEC  and  90/675/EEC (1)  and
amended by Directive 95/23/EC on conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat (2). According to
these rules Member States must ensure that the official veterinarian declares unfit for human consumption meat
which is contaminated or affected by any disease. Therefore this meat cannot come into the human food chain. If
this meat is rendered and used as feed it has to be treated in such a way that any infection or spread of disease is
impossible.

Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (3), commonly known as the
(cid:145)veterinary fund(cid:146), lays down detailed rules on Community contributions.

Firstly, under Title III, Chapter 2 (Articles 29, 32 and 33) of Decision 90/424/EEC the Community can contribute
to a national plan to control animal diseases. No plan covering EHEC has so far been approved.

Secondly, Article 4(3) of the Decision provides for emergency assistance should there be an outbreak of one of
the  diseases  referred  to  in  Council  Directive  92/117/EEC  of  17  December  1992  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 (4),  provided  that  the  outbreak  is  an
immediate risk to human health. No funding has so far been granted on this basis.

(1)  OJ L 268, 24.9.1991.
(2)  OJ L 243, 11.10.1995.
(3)  OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.
(4)  OJ L 62, 15.3.1993.