Brussels, 17/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - Following the tough speech he made before the European Parliament on Thursday over the inadequate quality of controls undertaken in Member states on respecting "anti-mad cow" legislation, David Byrne, European Commissioner for the protection of health and consumers, sent letters to the agriculture ministers of the Fifteen asking them to confirm, at the Monday and Tuesday's Council, whether they were satisfied with the implementation, in their country, of the Community measures adopted to date to reduce the risk of exposure of cattle to the mad cow disease and the citizens of the Union to the new variant of the Kreutzfldt-Jacob Disease (nvKJD).
By doing this, Mr. Byrne is sending back to Member States their responsibilities, reminding them that the controls are foremost their responsibility, the Commission having as sole prerogative to proceed with inspections to "monitor the controllers".