Strasbourg, 05/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting a resolution on the foot-and-mouth outbreak tabled by the EPP/ED, Socialist, Liberal, Greens/EFA, United Left/NGL and the Europe of Democracies and Diversities groups, the European Parliament called on the European Commission to "immediately review" its non-vaccination policy and propose acceptable alternatives at world level, so as to allow for the free trade in animal products. In particular, the EP calls on the EU to urgently allow vaccination: - at the request of a Member States, and as a preventative measure, in regions affected by foot-and-mouth, so as (amendment by Dutch Liberal Mr. Mulder) to attain the ultimate goal of eradicating the virus from the EU territory; - as a temporary measure, in unaffected regions, but that serve as "cordons"; - in the case of animals of a special race and that are susceptible to contracting foot-and-mouth in natural reserves or zoos, on condition that strict controls can be kept on the displacements of these animals (Mulder amendment: the initial text referred to animals of great value and rare species, including bulls serving for artificial insemination).
In addition; - vaccinated animals should be clearly registered; - the Commission should encourage the perfecting of a vaccine and tests allowing for a distinction to be made between infection and vaccination; - the EU should set strict limits and, if need be, impose a strict ban on the transport of live animals and animal products throughout its territory, and draw up a strategy aimed at, in future, an overall reduction in the transport of animals.
Member States are, for their part, urged to: - in the veterinary field, step-up controls of merchandise, passengers and luggage entering the EU territory, and maintain these controls on a permanent basis; - step-up phytosanitary inspections so as to prevent animal products from countries and regions affected by foot-and-mouth entering the food chain in the EU. Regarding compensation, plenary adopted an oral amendment by Mr. McCormick calling for compensation for branches of commerce and tourism seriously affected by the crisis
Byrne turns to latest measures, acknowledging vaccination to be an "emotional" subject
The European Commission confirmed before Parliament, which had called for a debate in plenary on the subject of foot-and-mouth, that the embargo affecting France had been practically lifted from 3 April. All Member States have put in "enormous" resources to combat this disease, and a high level of cooperation had been observed, said Commissioner David Byrne, noting that the Commission had not sat on its hind legs: since the beginning of the crisis, 18 decisions have been taken, and the Veterinary Committee has met eight times (without counting Tuesday's meeting). The Commission has chosen a regional approach, and is "working hard" to convince third countries that Union exports are safe. Finally, the Commission has taken the important decision of allowing vaccination, which, Byrne acknowledged, is an "emotional' subject.
It is "the luck of the draw", he said, announcing that, once the epidemic has been eradicated, the Commission will carry out a detailed examination of the different factors that contributed to its outbreak and to its spread.
Large majority of MEPs in favour of vaccination
During the debate that followed Mr Byrne's declaration, MEPs reiterated their support for a vaccination system not followed by slaughter. There were few exceptions: British Conservative Struan Stevenson, who recalled that, despite a vaccination policy, Saudi Arabia had six epidemics in two years, and the British Labour member Gordon Adam, who felt that slaughter is the most effective policy. The vaccination method would be still more effective, according to Dutch Christian Democrat Albert Maat, if there were tests (that scientists are working on) allowing for vaccinated animals to be distinguished from non-vaccinated animals. Yes to vaccination, said Dutch Liberal Jan Mulder, but it is necessary to eradicate the virus. The Commission's position on vaccination is not coherent, said Portuguese Socialist Antonio Campos. If it defends farmers, it must be in favour; if it defends exports, it must sacrifice farmers. The vaccination option must remain open, according to Irish Labour member Proinsias De Rossa, but one should also be very severe concerning the illegal practices on the part of unscrupulous operators. This last observation is very important, noted Mr Byrne, as the responsibility for cases of infection go back to unlawful operations. On vaccination, Mr Byrne repeated, the Commission thinks it may have a role to play, but the farmers themselves are not unanimous and it is also necessary to use the right vaccination (of which there are seven). In addition, the vaccine does not have immediate results (it is necessary to wait six to ten days, perhaps even fifteen) and the vaccination is practised on cattle while, in the current crisis, the infection is being spread by sheep. Other MEPs raised the problem of animal transport. Is one really right in accepting such a concentration of livestock and eliminating local slaughterhouses, by making it systematically necessary to transport animals over long distances, asked French national Dominique Souchet (who recently quit the Union for a Europe of Nations Group to move to the non-attached), and Philippe Whitehead, British Labour member, who felt that the current crisis is essentially a "movement crisis", which cannot be resolved by vaccination alone. Others still raised the question of relations with third countries: do the latter respect the rules in force in the Union when they export animals, asks Liam Hyland (Fianna Fail, Irish), while Joseph Daul (French EPP member) recommends more stringent controls in airports, as in the United States. Jean-Claude Martinez (National Front, France) believes the hysteria caused by the crisis in fact conceals a plot for reforming Common Agricultural Policy on the sly, facilitating enlargement and satisfying the WTO. If European farmers disappear, the budgetary savings sought will be made and the road will be free for cattle of the southern hemisphere. Dutch Socialist Dorette Corbey received a letter from 350 school-children in Amsterdam, who ask for vaccinations to be allowed in zoos.
Speaking during a press conference, the Greens expressed the hope that an end would be put to this "massacre" of animals. Paul Lannoye, Group co-president, felt that there should be a stop to the "animal whirlpool" in which animals are born "somewhere" to be fattened elsewhere, slaughtered in yet another place and consumed just about everywhere. We must impose severe limits on animal transport, he said. Animals are on the road for sometimes as long as 29 hours, said Vice-Chair of the Environment Committee, Alexander de Roo, who explained that the Greens are proposing a limit of four hours. The chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Friedrich Graefe zu Baringdorf, took a stance on the matter of vaccinations. "We do not recommend the systematic extension of prophylactic vaccinations, but call for emergency vaccination programmes to prevent the disease from spreading once it has broken out", he said. And vaccinated animals should not be slaughtered, he exclaimed. If a moratorium on the vaccination ban is accepted this would naturally mean clear registration of all vaccinated animals.