2004/110/EC: Commission Decision of 29 January 2004 on measures to assess the residual BSE risk in products derived from bovine animals/on a Community financial contribution for measures to assess the residual BSE risk in products derived from bovine animals (notified under document number C(2004) 132)
Date: 2004-01-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, cattle, health risk, meat product

L 32/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.2.2004

COMMISSION DECISION

of 29 January 2004

on measures to assess the residual BSE risk in products derived from bovine animals/on a Com-
munity financial contribution for measures to assess the residual BSE risk in products derived
from bovine animals

(notified under document number C(2004) 132)

(2004/110/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June
1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), and in particular
Articles 19 and 20 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

According to Decision 90/424/EEC the Community is to
undertake the scientific measures necessary for the devel-
opment of Community veterinary legislation.

A quantitative assessment of
the bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) residual risk in gelatine, tallow and
dicalcium phosphate from bovine bones, tallow from fat
tissues and tallow from rendered mixtures of tissues is
currently being carried out. The methodology for that
assessment was adopted by the former Scientific Steering
Committee at
its meeting of 12 and 13 September
2002.

The current work undertaken on the assessment of the
residual BSE risk needs to be updated in the light of new
scientific evidence.

Cross-contamination by feed containing animal proteins
and intended for non-ruminants is considered to be the
main remaining source of BSE infection since the intro-
duction of the ruminant feed ban in 1994. Regulation
(EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the
prevention, control and eradication of certain transmis-
spongiform encephalopathies (2) prohibits
sible
the
feeding of animal protein to farmed animals, with the
exception of certain animal proteins, the ‘extended feed
ban’. Despite the extended feed ban, very small amounts
of animal proteins are detected in a limited number of
samples of feedingstuffs.

extension could also consider the variation of the resi-
dual risk posed by the presence of the vertebral column
according to the age of the animals.

The measures provided for in this Decision are necessary
for the development of Community veterinary legislation
and should, therefore, qualify for a financial contribution
from the Community.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee
on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

(6)

(7)

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Commission shall ensure that the current scientific work
on a quantitative risk assessment of the residual BSE risk is
updated in view of new scientific evidence, and shall in particu-
lar ensure the inclusion in this assessment of the residual BSE
risks posed by feed containing low amounts of meat-and-bone
meal.

The Commission shall report on the outcome of the risk assess-
ment
to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and
Animal Health.

Article 2

1.
In carrying out the measures provided for in Article 1,
the Commission shall take as a basis the methodology recom-
mended by the former Scientific Steering Committee at its
meeting of 12 and 13 September 2002.

(5)

It is therefore necessary to extend the current risk assess-
the risk posed by feed
ment
containing limited amounts of meat-and-bone meal. This

to an assessment of

If necessary, the Commission shall request the European Food
Safety Authority (the Authority) to provide updates for the risk
assessment's methodology.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1).

(2) OJ L 147, 31.5.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 1915/2003 (OJ L 283, 31.10.2003, p. 29).

The Commission shall

2.
invite the Authority to provide
technical assistance and to express an opinion on the report
referred to in Article 1.

5.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 32/19

For the measures provided for in Article 1 the financial contribution by the Community shall not exceed
EUR 50 000.

Article 3

Article 4

Article 5

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2004.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 29 January 2004.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission