WRITTEN QUESTION No. 179/99 by Irene SOLTWEDEL-SCHÄFER BSE research - overcoming the species barrier
Date: 1999-02-11
Institutions: European Parliament, SOLTWEDEL-SCHAEFER
Subjects: EU financing, animal disease, cattle, disease vector, infectious disease, research programme













EUR-Lex - 91999E0179 - EN






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91999E0179

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 179/99 by Irene SOLTWEDEL-SCHÄFER BSE research - overcoming the species barrier  


Official Journal C 348 , 03/12/1999 P. 0030 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0179/99by Irene Soltwedel-Schäfer (V) to the Commission(11 February 1999)Subject: BSE research - overcoming the species barrier1. It is a known scientific fact that BSE can be transmitted from cattle to humans. Since SE occurs in a number of animals (overcoming the species barrier), there is a risk of BSE being transmitted to pigs and chickens, and hence entering the human food chain.(a) What research programmes have there been in the European Union since 1991 for examining the transmissibility of BSE to other agriculturally useful animals?(b) Which universities in which Member States are focusing on this work?2. What research results are available in this area?3. What appropriations are available in the budget for the research scientists?Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission(25 March 1999)1. (a) In the field of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) the Community has since 1991 supported 54 research projects with an overall Community contribution of approximately 46,2 million euro. These activities were or are being implemented within the Community specific research programmes Biomedicine and health (Biomed), Biotechnology (Biotech) and Agriculture and fisheries (FAIR) of the fourth framework programme for research and technological development.11 out of the 54 projects are supported as part of the different calls for proposals within the Biomed, Biotech and FAIR programmes. The remaining 43 projects are a result of the action plan on TSE research launched by the Commission in June 1996.Moreover, the Joint research centre (JRC), on behalf of the Commission and in co-operation with independent experts, is engaged in three projects in relation with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), namely "Detection of bovine animal meals in feedingstuff of plant origin", "Detection of an appropriate heat treatment of animal meals" and "Evaluation of BSE post mortem tests", with a budget allocation of approximately 1 million euro.The specific issue of BSE transferability is addressed, from different perspectives, in seven projects. Two projects are aimed at the study of the mechanisms of BSE transmission and the species barrier. One project intends to assess potential transferability of BSE from cattle to pigs and one project aims to develop a pre-clinical test to differentiate between scrapie and BSE infection in sheep. In addition, three projects aimed to reduce risks of transferability by developing measures to avoid meat contamination; improve sterilisation processes for the production of feed animal proteins; and to develop procedures for inactivation of TSE agents. A summary of the projects is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament.1. (b) A list of institutions involved in the above projects is also sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat general of the Parliament.2. The projects on transferability of BSE all started during 1998 and it is premature at this stage to anticipate their results.3. The overall budget allocated to these activities is approximately 7,6 million euro.