Brussels, 05/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - German authorities have responded in writing to the request by European Commissioner David Byrne that they withdraw from the markets of EU and third countries all meat containing potentially dangerous specified risk materials and immediately notify all Member States of national measures to guarantee that products placed on the market before 1 October 2000 (date of the entry into force of the ban on specified risk materials in the human food chain) and containing mechanically recovered beef are no longer on market shelves (see EUROPE of 23 December, page 16). The answer addressed by the Agriculture Ministry to the Commission and Member States affirms that: a) Germany has asked all enterprises concerned to extend recall measures to products exported to other Member States or third countries; b) the recall action is ongoing; c) industry will provide written, detailed information to the Agriculture Ministry on the progress of these operations, which it considers entirely feasible; d) most of the products released before 1 October 2000 and containing potentially dangerous SRMs were fresh products and are therefore no longer on the market or in stock.. Remaining stocks of conserves are currently being identified and recalled.
Belgium decided on Thursday that these guarantees were sufficiently reassuring for it to cancel its national measures for monitoring sales of German beef products such as sausages. In a press release, Health Minister Magda Aelvoet states that, based on the information provided, with the exception of products marketed by the Munich-based firm Südfleisch (sausages packed in tins or jars containing meat recovered mechanically from the spinal column of cows and produced before 1 October 2000), German beef and veal products can be considered safe. This company has undertaken to recall all its products from third countries and Belgian inspection services will be checking to ensure that the recall takes place.
The Commission, meanwhile, is still awaiting the response of German authorities to the report by the Union's Food and Veterinary Office further to the inspection held from 25 to 29 September, which concentrated on compliance with Community legislation on epidemiological monitoring of BSE, animal identification systems, the labelling of animal feedingstuffs containing meat and bone meal and the ban on meat and bone meal in ruminants' feedingstuffs.