2001/2/EC: Commission Decision of 27 December 2000 amending Decision 2000/418/EC regulating the use of material presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2000) 4147)
Date: 2000-12-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: United Kingdom, animal disease, animal product, cattle, health certificate, veterinary inspection

4.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 1/21

COMMISSION DECISION

of 27 December 2000

amending Decision 2000/418/EC regulating the use of material presenting risks as regards
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

(notified under document number C(2000) 4147)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/2/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

(3)

Having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11
December 1989 concerning veterinary checks
in intra-
Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal
market (1), as last amended by Directive 92/118/EEC (2), and in
particular Article 9(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June
1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable
in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products
with a view to the completion of the internal market (3), as last
amended by Directive 92/118/EEC, and in particular Article
10(4) thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 97/78/EC of 18 December
1997 laying down the principles governing the organisation of
veterinary checks on products entering the Community from
third countries (4), and in particular Article 22 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Commission Decision 2000/418/EC regulating the use
of material presenting risks as regards transmissible
spongiform encephalopathies and amending Decision
94/474/EC (5), provides for the removal and destruction
of specified risk materials listed in its Annex I from 1
October 2000. This Decision also prohibits the use of
certain bones of bovine, ovine and caprine animals for
the production of mechanically recovered meat, as well
as the use of certain slaughter techniques on bovine,
ovine and caprine animals whose meat is destined to
human and animal consumption. It also imposes restric-
tions on imports of specified risk materials and on
certain products of animal origin containing or derived
from these materials. Finally it proposes a regular review
of its provisions following new scientific evidence.

the recent developments of

In the light of
the BSE
situation in the Community, the Council has invited the
Commission to request the Scientific Steering Commitee
temporary safeguard
(SSC)

to evaluate the unilateral,

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 49.
(3) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29.
(4) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9.
(5) OJ L 158, 30.6.2000, p. 76.

measures taken by some Member States, and to take
appropriate action accordingly.

The SSC adopted a scientific opinion on different topics
relating to BSE on 28 November 2000. This opinion
particularly addressed questions concerning additional
specified risk materials. It concluded, in the light of new
information that potentially contagious cell types could
be found in prepared casings, that the entire intestine of
bovine animals of all ages and derived products should
therefore be removed.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary
Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision 2000/418/EC is amended as follows:

1. Annex I(1) is replaced by the following:

‘1.

(a) The following tissues shall be designated as specified
in all Member States and regions

risk material
thereof:

(i) the skull

including the brains and eyes,

the
tonsils, the spinal cord of bovine animals aged
over 12 months, and the intestines from the
duodenum to the rectum of bovine animals of
all ages;

(ii) the skull

including the brains and eyes,

the
tonsils and the spinal cord of ovine and caprine
animals aged over 12 months or that have a
permanent incisor erupted through the gum, and
the spleen of ovine and caprine animals of all
ages.

(b) In addition to the specified risk material

listed in
point 1(a) the following tissues shall be designated as
specified risk material
in the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland and in Portugal
with the exception of the Autonomous Region of
the Azores:

L 1/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

4.1.2001

(i) the entire head excluding the tongue, including
the brains, eyes, trigeminal ganglia and tonsils;
the thymus; the spleen and spinal cord of bovine
animals aged over six months;

(ii) the vertebral column,

root
ganglia, of bovine animals aged over 30 months.’

including dorsal

2. In Annex II, the following point (e) is added to the list of
into the

to restrictions on import

products
Community pursuant to Article 6(1):

subject

‘(e) “bovine intestines” as referred to in Article 2(b)(v) of

Directive 77/99/EEC.’

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2001.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 27 December 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission