Brussels, 21/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - After a detailed review of the situation created by the new mad cow crisis, the Agriculture Council, chaired by French Minister Jean Glavany, came to political agreement on Tuesday morning on means for the common management of this crisis, triggered by consumer fears in France and the emergency measures being adopted by several Member States, in a phenomenon of "contagion". This agreement, set out in unanimous Council conclusions, crowns with success 17 hours of arduous debate that resulted in a compromise for which unanimity was required.
The Agriculture Ministers agreed on the following main areas of action as a means of stemming the crisis and restoring consumer confidence by guaranteeing the safety of beef and veal sold to consumers: a harmonised approach to the issue; the extension in two phases of BSE screening of bovine animals in 2001; closer monitoring of compliance with Community legislation to combat mad cow disease in different Member States; an obligation for those that have adopted restrictive measures on imports of French beef to notify the measures to the European Commission, with justification. In spite of its efforts, France did not manage to convince its partners of the advisability of the adoption at Union level of measures comparable to those in force within its national borders. In its conclusions, the Council states that existing Community measures provide consumers with considerable guarantees on the safety of beef and notes that these measures should be continuously evaluated and reinforced in terms of the evolution of scientific findings. Confirming the importance of the measures taken at both Community and national level to protect consumer health (in particular with the traceability and withdrawal from the animal and human food chain of specific risk material), the Council recalls that it is for Member States to guarantee strict enforcement of measures adopted by the Community (supervision measures for detection, control and eradication of BSE; ban on meat and bone meal for ruminants; treatment of animal waste at 133 degrees, for 20 minutes, at 3 bar to reduce the risk of infection; withdrawal from the food chain, effective 1 October 2000, of specific risk material from bovine animals, sheep and goats; implementation starting on 1 January 2001 of a surveillance programme based on quick screening for high-risk categories) and notes the Commission's intention of conducting inspections at the earliest opportunity. The following measures are at the heart of the compromise.
The Standing Veterinary Committee will state its view on Wednesday on the Commission's draft decision concerning the first phase only.
The reluctance of Finland, Sweden and Austria -countries classified in the category of the lowest geographical risk and which consequently do not see why they should have to foot the bill for further very costly tests- was overcome thanks to a statement highlighting the necessity of finding financial resources for the cofunding of tests by the Community.
Italy's demands were satisfied once the definition of the age of the cattle by reference to the number of months and not a date was secured (for example: animals born before 1 January 1998), which would have limited the number of tests made.
The Council, moreover, stresses "the need to follow-up attentively the particularly difficult situation of beef markets and chains, as well as the balance of supply and demand for proteics". It also welcomed the Commission's intention of soon submitting a proposal for lifting the Community embargo on Portuguese beef due to the positive report of the inspectors of the Union's food and veterinary office in the country.