Brussels, 07/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) voted on Wednesday 6 July for a review of the ban on meat and bone meal. However, it rejected “the use of processed animal proteins derived from non-ruminants or ruminants in feed for ruminants”.
With the adoption of the report by Dagmar Roth-Behrendt (S&D, Germany) on EU legislation on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and on related feed and food controls, the EP underlines the importance of ensuring that the significant decline in BSE cases in the European Union “does not lead to less stringent TSE measures or to a reduction in the strict control and surveillance mechanisms in the EU”.
The EP supports, “particularly in the light of the existing protein deficit in the EU”, the Commission proposal to lift the provisions banning the feeding of processed animal proteins to non-ruminants, provided that this applies to non-herbivores only and that: - the processed animal proteins are only derived from species which are not linked to TSEs; - the existing prohibitions on intra-species recycling (“cannibalism”) remain in place; - production channels for processed animal proteins derived from different species be completely separated; - and the production of processed animal proteins from category 1 or category 2 material be prohibited and that only category 3 material fit for human consumption be used for the production of processed animal proteins.
Parliament states that these measures must go hand in hand with a common agricultural policy (CAP) aimed at linking crop and livestock production, the adequate use of grassland areas, increasing domestic protein production and supporting crop rotation systems.
BSE monitoring. The EP takes note of the increase in age limits for TSE testing of bovine animals above 72 months in 22 member states. It urges the Commission to increase the age limits in the remaining member states “only if supported by sound risk assessments in order not to jeopardise a high level of animal health and consumer protection”.
Research on TSEs. The Commission is asked to: - further encourage genetic control of scrapie in sheep through breeding and rearing programmes aimed at avoiding inbreeding or genetic drift; - put into place measures to encourage ongoing research on scrapie resistance in goats and on atypcial scrapie as this could contribute to the eradication of TSEs in the EU; - encourage ongoing research to develop ante-mortem and post-mortem rapid BSE-diagnostic tests. The EP rejects the Commission proposal to reduce EU funding for research on TSEs.
Cohort culling. The Parliament takes note of the Commission proposal to review the current cohort culling policy in the event of the occurrence of BSE in bovine herds. It says that, prior to any change to the cohort culling policy, the following aspects must be taken into account in order to maintain a high level of consumer trust: (1) consumer protection, (2) any risks to human and animal health and (3) continuing the practice of enabling risk managers and legislators to take the necessary immediate action in the case of a re-emergence of BSE in the EU.
Food and feed safety. The EP deleted a paragraph in the initial report calling on the Commission to re-evaluate the threshold limit value for dioxin in fish-meal (according to the initial report, the current limit “allows high dioxin concentration posing a risk to human and animal health”).
Mechanically separated meat. The EP calls for compulsory labelling of mechanically separated meat in food in order to better inform consumers so they can make informed choices. (L.C./transl.rt)