COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL The TSE Road map 2    A Strategy paper on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies for 2010-2015
Date: 2010-07-16
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: animal disease, animal nutrition, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, consumer protection, health legislation, veterinary legislation

EN 

EN 

   EN 

 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 16.7.2010 
COM(2010)384 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

The TSE Road map 2 

A Strategy paper on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies for 2010-2015 

SEC(2010)899 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
  
 
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

The TSE Road map 2 

A Strategy paper on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies for 2010-2015 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4 

Actions envisaged for the period 2010 – 2015............................................................. 5 

2.1. 

Further revision of the list/age limit for Specified Risk Materials (SRM) .................. 5 

2.1.1.  Current legislation........................................................................................................ 5 

2.1.2.  Future policy options.................................................................................................... 5 

2.2. 

Further revision of the feed ban ................................................................................... 5 

2.2.1.  Current legislation........................................................................................................ 6 

2.2.2.  Ongoing Research ........................................................................................................ 7 

2.2.3.  Possible gradual lifting of the feed ban........................................................................ 7 

2.3. 

Further revision of BSE surveillance ........................................................................... 8 

2.3.1.  Current legislation........................................................................................................ 8 

2.3.2.  Future policy options.................................................................................................... 8 

2.4. 

Further revision of scrapie eradication measures......................................................... 9 

2.4.1.  Current legislation........................................................................................................ 9 

2.4.2.  Past and on-going research........................................................................................... 9 

2.4.3.  Future policy options.................................................................................................. 10 

2.5. 

Cohort culling in bovine animals ............................................................................... 10 

2.5.1.  Current legislation...................................................................................................... 10 

2.5.2.  Future policy options.................................................................................................. 11 

2.6. 

Ante-mortem and post-mortem rapid tests................................................................. 11 

2.6.1.  Current legislation...................................................................................................... 11 

2.6.2.  On-going activities for the development of laboratory tests...................................... 11 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
 
 
2.6.3.  Future policy option ................................................................................................... 11 

3. 

4. 

Alternative scenarios if the positive trend does not continue in all Member States at 
the same pace. ............................................................................................................ 12 

Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 13 

EN 

3 

   EN 

1. 

INTRODUCTION  

The  first  TSE1  Roadmap2,  provided  an  outline  of  possible  future  changes  to  EU 
measures on TSEs in the short, medium and long-term while still making food safety 
and consumer protection the highest priority. The majority of short and medium term 
actions  envisaged  in  the  first  TSE  Roadmap  have  been  achieved  and  the  positive 
trend  already  observed  in  2005  in  the  Bovine  Spongiform  Encephalopathy  (BSE) 
epidemic has continued since then. At the same time, the impact of BSE on human 
health appears to be more limited than initially feared. 

This  Communication  is  complemented  by  a  Commission  Staff  Working  Document 
(CSWD) where Annexes referred to in the Communication can be found and which 
inter  alia includes  an  overview  of  the  achievements  of  the  first  TSE  roadmap  over 
the period 2005-2009. 

The  goal  for  the  coming  years  is  to  continue  the  review  of  the  measures  while 
assuring  a  high  level  of  food  safety.  Amendments  to  the  TSE  rules  are  and  will 
continue  to  be  taken  following  a  stepwise  approach  supported  by  a  solid  scientific 
basis.  In  this  respect,  the  scientific  advice  provided  by  the  European  Food  Safety 
Authority  (EFSA)  should  continue  to  play  a  crucial  role  to  consider  future  policy 
options. It is also of paramount importance to continue research in those areas where 
information is lacking or gaps exist which do not allow firm decisions to be taken. 

The aim of this Communication is to outline future possible amendments allowing a 
review of the measures to align them with the situation where the EU is finally on the 
last pathway to eradicate BSE within its cattle population. However vigilance should 
be  ensured  in  order  to  continue  to  monitor  the  situation  in  case  of  a  potential  re-
emergence of BSE or emergence of a new TSE agent in cattle population.  

This  review  should  be  primarily  driven  by  scientific  advice  and  technical  issues 
related to the control and enforcement of the new measures. 

1 
2 

EN 

TSE = Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (see definition in Annex I to CSWD). 
COM(2005) 322 FINAL of 15 July 2005. 

4 

   EN 

                                                 
2. 

ACTIONS ENVISAGED FOR THE PERIOD 2010 – 2015 

2.1. 

Further revision of the list/age limit for Specified Risk Materials (SRM) 

Strategic goal:  

To ensure and maintain the current level of consumer protection by continuing to 
assure safe removal of SRM but modify list/age based on new & evolving scientific 
opinions. 

2.1.1.  Current legislation 

Specified  Risk  Materials  (SRM)  are  the  organs  considered  to  harbour  the  BSE 
infectivity in an animal affected by BSE. In the EU, the removal of SRM from the food 
and  feed  chains  is  mandatory  since  2000.  The  removal  of  SRM  is  the  most  important 
public  health  protection  measure.  The  list  of  SRM  is  established  based  on  scientific 
knowledge and a high level of precaution. The restrictions on the use of SRM include a 
prohibition to use certain products for the production of derived products for use in food 
and feed such as tallow, gelatine, collagen and dicalcium phosphate. 

2.1.2.  Future policy options 

Any amendment of the current list of SRM should be based on new evolving scientific 
knowledge while maintaining the existing high level of consumer protection within the 
EU. However, the list of SRM to be removed from the food and feed chains should also 
take  into  account  the  epidemiological  situation  based  on  the  data  gained  from  BSE 
surveillance. EFSA is currently conducting a reassessment of the pertinence of the SRM 
list  in  small  ruminants  and  the  final  opinion  should  be  available  by  the  end  of  2010. 
Since  it  is  impossible,  however,  to  consider  the  complete  elimination  of  risk  as  a 
realistic  objective  for  any  risk  management  decision,  the  scientific  advice  should  aim 
for  a  quantitative  or  a  semi-quantitative  approach  taking  into  account  the  favourable 
epidemiological situation regarding BSE in the European Union. The alignment of the 
EU SRM list with the international standards of World Organisation for Animal Health 
(OIE)  should  be  sought  (in  particular  for  bovine  intestines)  if  supported  by  solid 
scientific  advice  based  on  quantitative  risk  assessments.  The  current  obligation  for 
Member  States  benefiting  from  a  negligible  risk  status  according  to  the  OIE  Code3  to 
remove SRM from the food and feed chain could be reviewed if an increasing number 
of  Member  States  reaches  the  negligible  status  for  which  no  SRM  list  has  been 
established. 

2.2. 

Further revision of the feed ban 

Strategic goal:  

To review certain measures of the current total feed ban when certain conditions 
are met. 

3 

http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mcode/en_chapitre_1.11.6.htm 

EN 

5 

   EN 

                                                 
2.2.1.  Current legislation  

A ban on the feeding of mammalian meat and  bone meal (MBM) to cattle, sheep and 
goats  was  introduced  as  of  July  1994.  In  order  to  manage  the  risk  of  presence  of 
prohibited material in ruminant feed through cross-contamination, this partial ban was 
extended to a total EU wide suspension on the use of processed animal proteins (PAP) 
in feed for any animals farmed for the production of food on 1 January 2001 with some 
exceptions  like  the  use  of  fish  meal  for  non  ruminants.  Any  presence  of  prohibited 
constituents of animal origin in feed breaches the feed ban since the legislation does not 
provide for any tolerance. 

The table below illustrates the current provisions of the feed ban: 

Farmed animals other than fur 
animals 

Ruminants 

Non 
ruminants 
(except fish) 

Processed animal proteins except blood 
meal and fish meal 

Blood meal from ruminants 

Blood products from ruminants 

Gelatine from ruminants 

Hydrolysed proteins other than those 
derived from non ruminants or from 
ruminant hides and skins 

Blood meal from non ruminants 

Fishmeal 

Blood products from non ruminants 

Di and tricalcium phosphate of animal 
origin 

Hydrolysed proteins from non 
ruminants or from ruminant hides and 
skins  

Non ruminant gelatine 

Egg, egg products, milk, milk products, 
colostrum 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA4 

NA 

NA 

A 

A 

A 

Animal proteins other than the above-
mentioned ones 

NA 

Fish 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

NA 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

Pets and fur 
animals 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

4 

Milk replacers containing fishmeal and intended only for unweaned ruminants are authorised. 

EN 

6 

   EN 

  
  
                                                 
A = authorised 

NA = not authorised 

2.2.2.  Ongoing Research 

As part of its annual work programme, the Community Reference Laboratory for animal 
proteins  (CRL-AP)  in  feed  investigated  the  strength  of  the  microscopic  method 
regarding  the  quantitative  determination  of  animal  constituents  in  feedingstuffs  (to 
estimate  the  total  amount  of  animal  proteins  in  feed  which  is  needed  to  allow  the 
introduction  of  any  tolerance  level  in  feedingstuffs).  The  preliminary  results  of  this 
evaluation  revealed  that  the  current  method  is  not  reliable  for  the  purpose  of 
quantification. 

In  addition,  the  CRL-AP  is  investigating  the  performance  of  different  new  diagnostic 
methods  which  may  identify  the  species  (ruminant,  pig  or  poultry)  of  traces  of  MBM 
found in feed. Indeed, the mandatory treatment of mammalian proteins at 133°C, 3 Bars 
during 20 minutes results in very small fragments of animal proteins which are difficult 
to detect by the current analytical methods. The results of this study should be available 
during the second half of 2010. 

2.2.3.  Possible gradual lifting of the feed ban 

The  starting  point  when  revising  the  current  feed  ban  provisions  should  be  risk-based 
but at the same time should take into account the control tools in place to evaluate (i.e. 
the availability of a reliable test to identify the species of trace of MBM). 

– 

Tolerance level for PAP in feed for farmed animals 

In  order  to  apply  a  risk-based  approach  in  case  prohibited  PAP  has  been  detected,  a 
certain tolerance level may be established.  

On  December  2009,  the  Commission  asked  EFSA  to  provide  an  updated  quantitative 
risk  assessment  on  the  risk  linked  to  small  amounts  of  processed  animal  proteins  in 
feed.  The  EFSA  opinion  is  expected  by  the  end  of  2010.  Based  on  the  EFSA 
conclusions, an introduction of a tolerance level with regard to a very small presence of 
PAP in feed may be proposed without jeopardising the current eradication measures. 

– 

Lifting feed ban provisions for non-ruminants (pigs, poultry, fishes) 

Currently,  PAP  forbidden  for  feeding  purposes  are  used  mainly  to  produce  fertilizers, 
compost or carburant for cement works. However, PAP may be a source of proteins for 
non-ruminant  farmed  animals  which  need  to  be  fed  with  high  quality  proteins. 
Considering that the transmission risk of BSE from non ruminants to non-ruminants is 
very  unlikely,  a  lifting  of  the  ban  on  the  use  of  PAP  from  non-ruminants  in  non-
ruminant feed could be considered, but without lifting the existing prohibition on intra-
species  recycling  (e.g.  poultry  MBM  could  only  be  fed  to  pigs  and  pig  MBM  to 
poultry). Moreover the reintroduction of PAP in non-ruminant feed may enable the EU 
to decrease the dependence on other sources of proteins. 

Such a measure would however be acceptable only if validated analytical techniques to 
determine the species origin of PAP are available. In addition, considering the limitation 

EN 

7 

   EN 

inherent in any control method, correct channelling of PAP from different species will 
be an important part of any review of the current feed ban provisions. The valorisation 
of  PAP  for  feeding  purposes  will  have  to  be  compared  to  the  investments  needed  to 
comply with the channelling requirements. 

2.3. 

Further revision of BSE surveillance 

Strategic goal:  

To continue to adapt the BSE monitoring system in bovine animals with a better 
targeting  of  the  surveillance  activity  while  keeping  the  capacity  to  monitor  the 
evolution  of  the  epidemiological  situation  and  to  assess  the  effectiveness  of  the 
protective measures in place. 

2.3.1.  Current legislation  

The  goal  of  the  surveillance  is  to  monitor  and  assess  the  effectiveness  of  control 
measures  taken  such  as  the  feed  ban  and  SRM  removal  by  following  the  evolution  of 
BSE prevalence over the years. 

According to TSE legislation, each Member State shall carry out an annual monitoring 
programme for BSE including a screening procedure using rapid tests approved for that 
purpose.  This  programme  shall  cover  as  a  minimum  all  bovine  animals  above  30 
months  of  age  slaughtered  normally  for  human  consumption  (healthy  slaughtered 
animals) and all bovine animals above 24 months of age which have died/been killed or 
been sent for emergency slaughter (risk animals). 

However,  a  Member  State  which  can  demonstrate,  based  on  epidemiological  criteria, 
the  improvement  of  the  BSE  situation  on  its  territory  may  send  an  application  to  the 
Commission with a view to being authorised to revise its monitoring programme. Since 
2009, 17 Member States5 have been authorised to review their monitoring programmes 
and  to  raise  the  age  limit  for  testing  to  48  months  based  on  their  favourable 
epidemiological situation and following positive EFSA opinions. 

This  increase  in  age  limit  for  testing  has  led  to  a  diminution  of  roughly  30  %  of  the 
number  of  tests  performed  annually  in  the  EU  in  2009  compared  to  2008  (Chart  1  in 
Annex III to CSWD) while keeping the same capacity to provide a reliable insight into 
the prevalence and evolution of BSE in the Member States. The same diminution can be 
observed  for  the  costs  associated  to  the  detection  of  one  BSE  case  in  slaughterhouse 
(they have dropped from € 14,15 Million in 2008 to € 10,1 Million in 2009, see Chart 3 
in Annex III to CSWD). 

2.3.2.  Future policy options 

Depending on the results of the ongoing monitoring programmes, a further revision of 
the BSE monitoring programmes may be envisaged for Member States complying with 
epidemiological criteria. Such options could include:  

5 

Belgium,  Cyprus,  Denmark,  Germany,  Ireland,  Greece,  Spain,  France,  Italy,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands, 
Portugal, Austria, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom. 

EN 

8 

   EN 

                                                 
– 

– 

– 

the continuation of the gradual increase in the age limits for testing of all healthy 
slaughtered animals and risk animals; 

testing of a statistical sample size of bovine animals above a certain age in each 
subpopulation (healthy slaughtered and risk animals); 

testing of  bovine  animals in each subpopulation based on their date of birth and 
the effective implementation of the feed ban. 

Any future option should allow the continuous detection of an increase in BSE epidemic 
or  an  emergence  of  new  TSE  strains.  In  particular,  since  atypical  BSE  cases  were 
detected over the last few years in animals older than 8 years old in the EU, any revision 
of BSE surveillance should not impair the detection of these cases. In addition, due to 
the single market and the free movement of bovine animals between Member States, the 
practical aspects in terms of control should not be disregarded and any new system put 
in place should remain easily manageable. Finally, in the mid-term, the revision of BSE 
surveillance  should  not  prevent  Member  States  from  maintaining  their  OIE  status  as 
regards BSE risk. 

2.4. 

Further revision of scrapie eradication measures  

Strategic goal:  

To  adapt  the  current  eradication  measures  in  TSE  infected  flocks  of  sheep  and 
goats  to  bring  them  in  line  with  the  latest  scientific  knowledge  and  to  develop 
sustainable tools to control TSE in small ruminant flocks in the EU. 

2.4.1.  Current legislation 

The  current  provisions  for  the  eradication  of  TSEs  in  sheep  flocks  are  based  on  a 
combination  of  different  tools  (total  or  selective  culling  of  susceptible  animals  in 
infected  flocks,  breeding  programmes  to  select  for  resistance  to  TSEs  in  high  genetic 
merit  flocks,  restocking  with  resistant  animals  and  reinforced  surveillance  in  infected 
flocks). For goat herds, total culling is the only option applicable if classical scrapie is 
detected. 

Special  measures  are  however  in  place  for  atypical  scrapie  cases  in  order  to  take  into 
account  their  limited  spread  of  infection  within  a  flock:  animals  are  exempted  from 
culling  but  they  shall  be  submitted  to  an  intensified  TSE  surveillance  during  two 
breeding years without any possibility to be moved from their herd. 

2.4.2.  Past and on-going research 

In goats, unlike sheep, there is no clearly identified genetic resistance or susceptibility 
to  TSEs.  In  2008,  the  final  results  of  an  EU  funded  pilot  project  study  conducted  in 
Cyprus  and  aimed  at  the  identification  of  the  effect  of  certain  genes  on  scrapie 
resistance/susceptibility in goats seemed to indicate that some genes could be associated 
with  resistance/susceptibility  to  classical  scrapie  in  goats  in  CY.  In  view  of  the 
importance  for  the  EU  eradication  policy  in  the  goat  population,  EU  funds  have  been 
allocated for the design and implementation of a protocol for additional studies in order 
to supplement the initial findings of the Cypriot pilot study. This protocol, finalised in 

EN 

9 

   EN 

September 2009, aims to collect data to gain further knowledge about genetic resistance 
to scrapie in goats. First results should be available in 2011. 

Furthermore,  a  scientific  assessment  jointly  performed  by  EFSA  and  the  European 
Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on any possible association between 
TSEs in animals and humans is ongoing and the results of this work could be of great 
interest as regards the zoonotic potential of TSEs in small ruminants. 

2.4.3.  Future policy options 

The  high  complexity  of  TSEs  in  small  ruminants  (due  mainly  to  the  existence  of 
different strains of prions), the current uncertainties as regards their zoonotic potential 
and  the  great  diversity  of  factors  influencing  the  transmission  and  maintenance  of 
scrapie  within  and  between  flocks  make  it  necessary  to  continue  the  reflection  on  the 
future legislative actions to take in order to control TSE in small ruminant flocks in the 
EU. The following actions could be considered: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

to  establish  the  conditions  for  small  ruminants  herd  certification  as  regards  TSE 
based  on  results  of  rapid  tests  and  on  OIE  guidelines  in  order  to  avoid  the 
inadvertent spread of scrapie through infected preclinical animals; 

to further adapt measures for atypical scrapie if scientific data confirms that this 
scrapie strain is not contagious; 

to  take  advantage  of  genetic  resistance  in  goats  if  further  research  indicates 
genetic resistance of certain genotypes within the goat population; 

to  continue  to  encourage  genetic  control  of  scrapie  in  sheep  through  breeding 
programmes  (while  avoiding  inbreeding  or  genetic  drift)  as  these  programmes 
appear to be effective at controlling the disease. 

In  any  case,  future  research  results  and  scientific  advice  concerning  TSE  in  small 
ruminants will be the key elements influencing future policy options. 

2.5. 

Cohort culling in bovine animals 

Strategic goal: 

To review the culling policy in BSE infected herds. 

2.5.1.  Current legislation 

In  the  case  of  confirmation  of  a  BSE  case  in  a  holding,  the  current  rules  foresee  the 
killing and complete destruction of bovine animals belonging to the "cohort" of the BSE 
case (i.e. bovine animals born in the same herd as the case within 12 months preceding 
or  following  the  date  of  birth  of  the  case  and  which  may  have  consumed  the  same 
contaminated feed as the case). By way of derogation, it is possible to allow a Member 
State  to  defer  the  killing  and  complete  destruction  of  cohort  animals  until  the  end  of 
their  productive  lives.  Only  Germany  applied  for  this  derogation  so  far  and  was 
authorised to use it in 2007. Furthermore, where the BSE case is a female, its progeny 
born within two years prior to, or after, clinical onset of the disease shall be destroyed. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

2.5.2.  Future policy options 

As the number of positive animals detected within the cohort animals in the EU is now 
very low (2 in 2008, 0 in 2009), a proposed alternative could be to stop the systematic 
cohort culling and to authorise the slaughtering of these animals for human consumption 
provided that animals are tested with negative results before entering the food chain.  

2.6. 

Ante-mortem and post-mortem rapid tests 

Strategic goal: 

To  continue  to  promote  the  development  of  the  best  rapid  tests  available  for 
detecting TSEs. 

2.6.1.  Current legislation 

Only  the  rapid  tests  which  are  listed  in  the  TSE  legislation  can  be  used  for  the 
monitoring  of  TSE  in  the  EU.  Before  being  able  to  be  listed,  any  rapid  test  has  to  be 
thoroughly  evaluated  as  regards  its  analytical  performances  and  has  to  be  positively 
recommended to the Commission by EFSA. 

2.6.2.  On-going activities for the development of laboratory tests 

The  Commission  completed  the  first  evaluation  of  rapid  diagnostic  tests  for  BSE  in 
cattle in 1999. Further evaluations of rapid diagnostic tests for TSEs in ruminants have 
subsequently  been  carried  out.  In  2007,  the  Commission,  aware  that  developmental 
work on other tests had continued, decided to launch a new open call for expression of 
interest intended to cover ante and post-mortem tests for the detection of TSE in large 
(cattle)  and  small  (sheep  and  goats)  ruminants.  This  call  was  launched  for  a  5  year 
period and its objectives are to identify new tests and to select those that are suitable for 
inclusion  in  an  evaluation  programme  based  on  EFSA  scientific  protocols.  The  call 
allows  test  manufacturers  which  have  tests  already  at  an  advanced  stage  to  apply  in 
order to have their test evaluated for their suitability to use in the EU TSE surveillance 
programmes. 

2.6.3.  Future policy option 

The option to test live animals if validated ante-mortem tests become available could be 
envisaged.  The  usefulness  of  this  option  for  controlling  BSE  in  bovine  animals  is 
limited nowadays. This option would however be of great help for herd certification in 
small ruminants' herds. 

EN 

11 

   EN 

3. 

ALTERNATIVE  SCENARIOS  IF  THE  POSITIVE  TREND  DOES  NOT  CONTINUE  IN  ALL 
MEMBER STATES AT THE SAME PACE.  

The  level  of  protection  of  consumers  should  be  the  same  across  the  EU.  But  the 
epidemiological  situation  between  the  different  Member  States  justifies  the  situation 
that,  where  certain  Member  States  would  be  eligible  for  further  amendments,  others 
would not. The practical implementation and practices will therefore force the adoption 
of  certain  amendments  limited  to  certain  Member  States.  The  amendment  of  the  BSE 
surveillance  system  was  an  example  where  only  17  Member  States  were  allowed  to 
amend the BSE monitoring programme. 

Even if all indicators regarding the prevalence of BSE in bovine animals suggest that a 
future increase of BSE cases is unlikely, alternative scenarios should be envisaged if the 
decline in BSE cases is not confirmed in all Member States.  

In  that  case,  more  stringent  measures  regarding  SRM  removal  could  be  envisaged  for 
those  Member  States  with  a  lower  decline  of  BSE  cases.  As  a  final  measure,  a 
temporary  embargo  might  be  envisaged  which  would  allow  the  situation  in  the 
individual  Member  State  to  be  addressed  without  penalising  the  other  Member  States 
where the negative trend is not confirmed. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

4. 

CONCLUSION 

The review of the measures related to TSE must be based on an appropriate assessment 
of the possible risks for human and animal health and must, taking into account existing 
scientific  evidence  and  innovation,  maintain  or,  if  scientifically  justified,  increase  the 
level of protection of human and animal health. It is impossible, however, to consider 
the  complete  elimination  of  risk  as  a  realistic  objective  for  any  risk  management 
decision in matters regarding food safety, where the cost and benefits of risk-reducing 
measures have to be carefully weighed in order to ensure the measure’s proportionality. 
It is the role and responsibility of the risk manager to decide the acceptable level of risk, 
taking into account all the elements present in a scientific risk assessment.  

Since  any  amendment  will  have  to  be  supported  by  solid  scientific  advice,  it  is  of 
paramount importance to continue research in those areas where information is lacking 
or gaps exist which do not allow firm decisions to be taken. 

In addition, experience over the past two decades has demonstrated that BSE has been 
used  abusively  for  protectionist  ends,  in  particular  by  third  countries.  A  strong  and 
credible  international  framework  is  therefore  of  paramount  importance  to  ensure  that 
trade  can  take  place  under  safe  and  fair  conditions.  The  EU  must  take  the  lead  in 
international  standard  setting  bodies  to  promote  European  standards  and  policies,  and 
align its legislation with international standards as far as possible. 

In  setting  our  future  strategy  it  is  also  important  not  to  lose  sight  of  other  threats  to 
animal and public health which have emerged in recent years, such as Salmonella and 
antimicrobial  resistance.  The  balance  of  evidence  is  increasingly  pointing  towards  the 
need to better prioritise actions towards diseases which may have a bigger impact than 
TSEs in terms of public health and to set out EU funding accordingly. The encouraging 
trends  in  relation  to  BSE  merit  a  considered  review  of  the  opportunities  to  focus  on 
these other threats. 

EN 

13 

   EN