WRITTEN QUESTION E-3906/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Measures to be taken by the EU following the discovery of cattle affected by mad cow disease in Galicia, Germany and the Azores.
Date: 2000-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Galicia, animal disease, animal nutrition, beef, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, disease prevention, foodstuffs legislation, indemnification, market support, slaughter of animals, veterinary inspection

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/81

That inventory will enable an assessment to be made of the advantages deriving from the adoption of
harmonised rules at European level for both rail and road tunnels.

The Commission will also keep a very watchful eye on the safety aspects of infrastructure building,
including that of tunnel sections, and which receive Community financial support, more particularly in
view of the budget for the trans-European networks.

The Commission has supported the work carried out by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) in order to devise a methodology enabling the hazards involved in the various
routes and alternatives modes where dangerous goods are carried to be compared. That methodology
could show that, in many cases, journeys through tunnels are no more hazardous than on other possible
routes.

(2001/C 187 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3906/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Measures to be taken by the EU following the discovery of cattle affected by (cid:145)mad cow disease(cid:146) in

Galicia, Germany and the Azores

People in Galicia, as in the rest of Europe, are at present deeply concerned about the appearance in Galicia
of the same problem as in Germany and the Azores, the discovery of a cow suffering from bovine
spongiform encephalopathy. Concern is all the greater among farmers who, together with the authorities,
must find a rapid solution to this serious problem. Whilst they are calling for measures to be taken with
regard to health, consumption and production, they should not suffer the consequences, not least because
this disease can be transmitted to human beings and is due to the lack of foresight of the authorities of the
Member States and the European Union following the outbreak of the epidemic in the United Kingdom
and its subsequent spread to France.

Since this is a European problem requiring generalised solutions which is affecting Galicia in particular,
where the first case of this disease in Spain was detected, can the Commission say:

(cid:129) why the Union institutions did not take steps years ago to eradicate BSE, in particular a ban on the
use of animal meal in cattle feed, a large proportion of which is produced by multinational companies,
with a total annual production of 3 million tonnes, which seems to be the cause of the disease;

(cid:129) what measures the EU will take in Galicia, in conjunction with the Spanish State and the Galician

authorities, to ensure the swift eradication of this disease;

(cid:129) how it intends to provide financial compensation for the Galician farmers affected by the measures
implemented, since their cattle must be slaughtered? Will they, in this case, receive the compensation
needed to cover the full value of
farmers receive the financial aid needed to
compensate for the heavy losses suffered as a result of the fall in consumption caused by people(cid:146)s
alarm and distrust?

the cattle? Will

C 187 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 March 2001)

The inclusion of mammalian protein in feedstuffs intended for ruminants has in fact been prohibited in all
Member States since August 1994. This ban has recently been extended on a temporary basis to prohibit
the inclusion of all processed animal proteins in feedstuffs for farmed animals.

In addition to the feed ban, the Community has introduced numerous measures to prevent the re-cycling
of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent and to bring about its eventual eradication. These
measures include high temperature rendering of mammalian waste, compulsory notification and testing of
all BSE suspects, rapid testing of all over thirty-month old healthy, sick and emergency slaughtered cattle in
addition to dead-on-farm animals and removal and destruction of specified risk material. Enforcement of
these controls is within the competence of the Spanish Authorities.

Commission Regulations (EC) No 164/97 of 30 January 1997 adopting exceptional support measures for
the beef market in France by application of Decision 97/18/EC (1), (EC) No 299/97 of 19 February 1997
adopting exceptional support measures for the beef and veal market in Germany (2), (EC) No 1112/97 of
18 June 1997 adopting exceptional support measures for the beef market in Ireland in application of
Decision 97/312/EC (3), have all established legal frameworks for compensation of producers of animals
being slaughtered under the various national BSE measures. The Commission had in each case received
a formal request from the Member State concerned, a procedure which would also apply in the case of
Spain. Under the above-mentioned compensation schemes, producers were compensated on the basis of
the objective value of the animal. In response to market pressures caused by a drop in beef consumption,
the Commission has recently adopted a number of support measures, intended to help the Community
market recover from the present crisis. These are currently before the Parliament and the Council for
consideration. Additional measures will also be proposed which fall within the normal market manage-
ment mechanisms operated by the Commission.

(1) OJ L 29, 31.1.1997.
(2) OJ L 50, 20.2.1997.
(3) OJ L 162, 19.6.1997.

(2001/C 187 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3925/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Brazil and retreaded tyres

A few years ago, EC Regulations relating to retreaded tyres were updated to bring retreaded tyres into
a similar category as new tyres. As a result, there is now a Type Approval for retreads within the EC.

On the 27th September 2000 the Brazilian Government extended an existing ban on the importation of
second-hand tyres to include remoulded and re-manufactured tyres.

Brazil is a major market for the retreading industry, and this ban poses a major threat to the retreading
industry, which is the most effective and important method of re-use and recycling of worn tyres.

Has the Commission raised this issue with Brazil?

What action does the Commission plan to take as a result of this ban?