WRITTEN QUESTION E-0810/01 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Deficiencies in the handling of animal remains in Spain in connection with the BSE crisis.
Date: 2001-03-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, agricultural waste, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, carcase, health legislation, veterinary inspection, veterinary legislation, waste management

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/125

(2001/C 318 E/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0810/01

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Deficiencies in the handling of animal remains in Spain in connection with the BSE crisis

In spite of the royal decree adopted recently by the government on the incineration of animals in thermal
power stations and cement works, the handling of animal remains in connection with the BSE crisis is
posing grave problems in Spain.

Specifically:

(cid:129) Disposal sites: at sites such as that in l(cid:146)Alcora (Castell(cid:243)n) and Alpuente (Valencia), animal remains are
not being disposed of properly. Not only are they not separated from other waste, but when buried
they are not covered with the compulsory layer of clay. Inadequate disposal and burial of these
remains could result in the disease entering the human food chain through ingestion of the remains
by rodents, themselves ingested by other animals, and so on until humans are reached.

(cid:129) Abandoned carcasses: over 300 animal carcasses were found in just the first round of inspections
carried out by the Guardia Civil(cid:146)s Nature Protection Service (Seprona). The fact that the compulsory
removal of carcasses is not being managed properly presents a two-fold risk, firstly to humans (cid:129) with
the risk that prions may enter the human food chain via animals (cid:129) and secondly to certain protected
species, particularly those which feed on carrion, since in addition to those affected by BSE, animals
which have died of other causes are also being removed, depriving these species of the food source on
which they have always depended.

(cid:129) Incinerators and cement works: Spain has designated incinerators at Ourense, Castell(cid:243)n, Valencia,
Gerona and Le(cid:243)n for disposal of the risk material. However, the plant designated by the authorities in
Castille-Le(cid:243)n at Cebreros del R(cid:237)o has no municipal emissions licence for this particular use and does
not keep a record of risk material entering and leaving the premises. Seprona has also discovered that
it has illegally dumped contaminated blood into the Valdearacos river. Finally, with regard to all
designated plants, the higher levels of emissions of heavy metals into the atmosphere, the release of
sixteen times more dioxins than in normal conditions and the unpleasant odours and health risks for
people in the surrounding areas must also be taken into account.

The need to destroy specified risk material is clearly not at issue, but is the Commission aware of:

(cid:129) how this kind of waste is being processed in Spain?

(cid:129) how it has drawn up a plan for monitoring and control of the latter from its place of origin, including
transport, processing and destruction, with the necessary guarantees with regard to the environment
and health?

(cid:129) how will the Commission urge the Member States to ensure that their national BSE plans make

provision for participation by social bodies and for a degree of public control?

(cid:129) how can the Commission ensure that

is being carried out
accordance with Community environmental and health protection legislation in all Member States?

the destruction of risk material

in

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 2001)

During its recent round of inspections, the Commission(cid:146)s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carried out an
inspection in Spain from 11 to 15 December 2000 to assess inter alia the measures in place to ensure safe
including material most at risk of carrying transmissible
processing and disposal of animal waste,
spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents (i.e. specified risk material).
In accordance with the FVO
procedures a draft report containing the main findings, conclusions and recommendations has been sent to
the Spanish authorities. As soon as their reply is received, a final report will be produced and sent to the
Parliament.

C 318 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Concerning the participation of various bodies in the national plans on TSEs, Commission Decision 98/
272/EC of 23 April 1998 on epidemio-surveillance for TSEs and amending Decision 94/474/EC (1) requires
Member States to ensure that a range of interests, including staff of the competent authority, diagnostic
laboratories, veterinary practitioners, animal keepers and handlers have relevant knowledge on TSEs.

(1) OJ L 122, 24.4.1998.

(2001/C 318 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0814/01

by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Support for the (cid:145)Alemagna(cid:146) road link

The establishment of an effective integrated Europe-wide transport network is essential to the European
Union(cid:146)s economic and cultural development.

By a decision of the Interministerial Economic Planning Committee (CIPE) of 2 November 2000 (published
in the Italian Official Gazette of 20 December 2000), Italy incorporated the Alemagna road link (Venice-
Dobbiaco and the Fortezza-San Candido section of the E66) into the TEN-T amendments.

(cid:129) Given that the historic Alemagna route is the natural link between Venice and Central Europe,

(cid:129) given that the upgrading of this route would make it possible to link up a whole network of

connections to a corridor going from the northern Adriatic and its ports to the Brenner pass,

(cid:129) given the trans-European dimension of this project,

will the Commission state what technical and financial assistance measures it is prepared to envisage for
the construction of the Alemagna road link?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 2001)

The (cid:145)Alemagna(cid:146) road link incorporating the Venice-Dobbiaco and the Fortezza-San Candido section of the
E66 is not one of the trans-European transport network(cid:146)s links specified by Decision No 1692/96/EC of
the Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the
trans-European transport network (1). According to this Decision,
this development project cannot
therefore be considered to be a project of common interest.

The Commission is currently examining the changes which will have to be made to the Decision in order
to adapt the trans-European transport network guidelines to economic and technological developments in
the transport sector, particularly in rail transport. This review is being made taking common transport
policy priorities into account, particularly modal rebalance in favour of more environmentally friendly
modes of transport. The results will be presented during the next few weeks in a more general White Paper
on transport policy as a whole. The Commission already intends the publication of this document to be
accompanied by a proposal to modify the above Decision.

Without prejudging its final decision on the contents of the proposal, the Commission would like to draw
the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the fact that it has already proposed that the Community sign the
Alpine Convention protocol on transport, the implementation of which will limit the development of new
rural motorways for trans-Alpine traffic.

Financial support for the trans-European transport network is reserved, according to Council Regulation
(EC) No 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community