Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on "Tackling Foot and Mouth Disease"
Date: 2001-04-05
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: animal disease, cattle, foot-and-mouth disease, health policy, vaccine

3.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 107/1

II

(Preparatory Acts)

COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Tackling Foot and Mouth Disease’

(2002/C 107/01)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the European Commission’s work programme for 2001 COM(2001) 28 final and to the
Committee of the Regions’ political priorities;

having regard to the wave of public concern in the Member States in the wake of the ‘Mad Cow’ crisis
(BSE) and the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and in the light of the decisions taken
on these issues in particular the Council decision of 4 December 2000, to ban the use of meatmeal in
animal feed;

whereas a debate is getting under way, within the EU institutions, on new guidelines for the Common
Agricultural Policy and the need for an approach which takes full account of the regional dimension — a
debate which follows on the support expressed at the Biarritz Summit (September 2000) for a ‘diversified,
high quality and safe European food model’;

whereas the Stockholm European Council invites the Council and the European Parliament to ensure that
the decision on the establishment of a European Food Authority is taken before the end of 2001;

The Committee of the Regions

observes that BSE poses fundamental problems affecting food
safety and the very concept of the European agricultural
model, which the CoR has already addressed;

notes that BSE and foot-and-mouth disease are two quite
different problems, but that they clearly demonstrate the need
for reform of the CAP to take account of consumer protection,
food safety, environmental considerations and animal welfare.
In this connection the EU should take immediate steps to
promote the production of plant proteins for animal feel. The
CoR has decided to set up a working group which will shortly
present its conclusions on animal feed, product traceability,
food safety requirements, and accessible consumer infor-
mation;

considers that Foot and Mouth disease is not, however, a
food safety issue, but relates to the health and economic
management of a well-known epizootic disease;

calls on all regions, Member States and the EU to put systems
in place in light of the current Foot and Mouth crisis, to ensure
that quick and decisive actions are taken to prevent recurrence;

C 107/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3.5.2002

calls on the European Commission and the European Council
of Ministers to endorse the following points in their policy
against Foot and Mouth disease:

to review the general issue of vaccination, and in particular
authorise protective emergency vaccination in a given region
with an outbreak of FMD, on request of a Member State;

— recommends a thorough analysis of the causes of the
rapid spread of the disease (moving animals around,
illegal transport, negligence on the part of some oper-
ators, inadequate checks on the health of the flock, size
of herd, training of stockmen, etc.), in order to establish
the measures needed to contain further outbreaks;

calls on the Commission and the sector ‘in the interest of
animal welfare and in order to limit the spreading of disease’
to review the system of live animal transports, with a view to
reducing both the number of
transports and shortening
the distances travelled; EU subsidies should not encourage
transport of live animals;

wishes all Regions and Member States to cooperate in bringing
to justice all those involved in the smuggling and illegal
transportation of animals and meat products;

asks for greater resources to be earmarked for research to
speed up the development of a new vaccine which will make
it possible in future to distinguish between vaccinated animals
and those which are carrying the disease;

is pleased to note that the SVC has decided to authorise
emergency vaccination of high value animals and rare breeds,
e.g. for bulls used for artificial insemination purposes or exotic
animals in zoos;

hopes that appropriate measures will be taken speedily to
assess the economic consequences of epizootic diseases for
stockbreeders, the entire sector and rural activities, in particular
tourism, and to draw up compensation arrangements tailored
to the diversity of regional and local situations;

calls on the Commission to urge the EU’s trading partners to
take a regional approach to trading and import restrictions, to
the effect that regions not affected by foot and mouth disease
can continue exporting, with active consideration for areas
within countries;

instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council,
the European Parliament and Commission.

Brussels, 5 April 2001.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT