Strasbourg, 19/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - By voting in favour of the draft regulation establishing rules for the prevention and combating the so-called "mad cow" disease and, in general, all transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), the European Parliament followed its rapporteur, German Social Democrat Dagmar Rothe-Behrendt. The European Commission's proposal, aimed at creating a uniform legal basis for the control and prevention of TSEs, whatever the type, for all products of animal origin, should, according to the EP, be improved to allow for, among other things,: a) a revision of the Commission's precautionary policy, to take account of new scientific data that prove blood contamination (and thus meat) by TSE agents; b) provide for complementary rules for products excluded from the proposal's field of application, especially cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. The EP calls for proposals by 31 June 2000; - c) eradicate all herds at risk from the food chain (except for animals intended for scientific research). The Commission had not provided a positive response to this request.
In addition, the EP calls for the systematic use of rapid diagnostic tests so that TSEs can be better detected amongst cattle, and its implication in all important decisions on TSE prevention.