WRITTEN QUESTION P-0760/01 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Commission inspectors' investigation of BSE in Greece.
Date: 2001-03-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, animal feedingstuffs, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, cattle, meat processing industry, slaughter of animals, veterinary inspection

C 261 E/192

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.9.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2777/2000 of 18 December 2000 adopting exceptional support mea-
sures for the beef market (1) does not specify any particular type of slaughterhouse in terms of slaughtering
capacity. Article 7 of the Regulation provides nevertheless that Member States shall adopt all measures
necessary to ensure proper application of the scheme, in particular compliance with the provisions of its
Article 5.

According to information from the German authorities the minimum slaughter capacity per slaughter-
house was established as a consequence of the limited staff available with short notice for the on-the-spot
control operations. Nevertheless, the selected participating slaughterhouses are geographically covering the
main beef producing areas in Germany thereby guaranteeing a reasonable distance for transport of the
animals.

(1) OJ L 321, 19.12.2000.

(2001/C 261 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0760/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Commission inspectors(cid:146) investigation of BSE in Greece

(7 March 2001)

From 12 to 16 February, Commission veterinary inspectors conducted inquiries in Greece into the
implementation of measures concerning BSE.

In the light of the inspectors(cid:146) report, will the Commission say:

1. whether adequate checks are carried out on cattle to detect the disease,

2. whether the measures to protect cattle from BSE are observed, and

3.

under what conditions cattle are fed and slaughtered, and, in particular, what the situation is in Greek
slaughterhouses and to what extent the criteria laid down by Community law are fulfilled?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2001)

The aim of the Commission(cid:146)s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) mission to Greece from 12 to 16 February
2001 was to assess the monitoring measures introduced for the prevention of bovine spongiform
encephalopathy.

In accordance with Commission Decision 98/139/EC of 4 February 1998 laying down certain detailed
rules concerning on-the-spot checks carried out in the veterinary field by Commission experts in the
Member States (1), internal FVO procedures stipulate that a draft mission report drawn up by the FVO
within 20 working days must be sent to the authorities of the Member State visited; the authorities must
then reply to the FVO within 25 working days of receipt of the Greek version of the report. The FVO will
not be able to publish the final report until this procedure has ended.

The final report of the mission should be completed by mid-May 2001 at the latest. In line with normal
procedure, the report will be sent by the Commission to Parliament and published on the Internet.
Independently of this report, the Commission has repeatedly called on all Member States to ensure full
implementation and respect of Community legislation on BSE.

(1) OJ L 38, 12.2.1998.