WRITTEN QUESTION No. 315/99 by Patricia McKENNA BSE cases in Ireland
Date: 1999-02-19
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: Ireland, Portugal, animal disease, animal health, cattle, export restriction, health control, health risk, public health

C 325/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.11.1999

(1999/C 325/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0315/99

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(19 February 1999)

Subject: BSE cases in Ireland

Is the Commission aware that a recent report by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture stated that Ireland has
suffered 232 cases of BSE, second only to the United Kingdom, and that the Irish Agriculture Department’s
own figures disclose fourteen cases of the disease this month?

In the light of this serious situation, and given that Portugal is currently subject to a European Union beef
export ban after 168 recorded cases of BSE, does the Commission not consider a close examination of the Irish
situation to be extremely urgent if we are to ensure the health of European Union citizens?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 March 1999)

The Commission believes that measures to control bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and to protect
public health should be based on an assessment of not only the incidence, i.e. the number of BSE cases per
1 000 000 adult cattle, but also on the risk management measures applied in the affected area. The total
number of cases alone in a certain Member State does not give a representative picture of the actual occurrence
of the disease in that Member State as it does not take into account the size of the national herd. The
Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member, and to the Parliament’s Secretariat, tables containing
this information.

In the case of Portugal, a combination of a high incidence of BSE (at present over 160 BSE cases per 1 000 000
adult cattle) and certain shortcomings in the enforcement of the measures to control the BSE risk factors, lead
the Commission to propose restrictions on export and require reinforced implementation of protective
measures inside Portugal. The corresponding incidence in Ireland is around 20 cases per 1 000 000 adult cattle
and the missions of the Commission have not revealed problems in the risk management serious enough to
envisage taking measures at Community level. Since 1996, the situation in Ireland appears stable as indicated
by an incidence of roughly 20 BSE cases per 1 000 000 adult cattle, while the incidence in Portugal increased
rapidly in 1998 from around 60 at the end of 1997 to over 150 BSE cases per 1 000 000 adult cattle at the end
of 1998.

The Commission is keeping the development of the BSE situation in Ireland under close scrutiny, as it does in
the other Member States, and will immediately propose further measures whenever it is deemed necessary in
order to protect public or animal health.

(1999/C 325/142)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0321/99

by John McCartin (PPE) to the Commission

(19 February 1999)

Subject: Beef and veal exports from the EU

Can the Commission state how much beef and veal may be exported from the European Union under the
current WTO rules, how much of this quota has been exported to date in the current year and how much has
been paid in respect of this beef and veal in export refunds?