Brussels, 14/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - During its meeting on 7 and 8 November, the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) considered it was necessary to review certain slaughter practices to reduce the risk of BSE transmission during removal of the tongue and cheek meat of bovines. It also confirmed that the risk of BSE being present in New Zealand was negligible. European experts adopted a protocol to asses the validity of rapid post mortem testing already approved and tests being assessed on the tissues of small ruminants (sheep and goats). As a preventive measure, scientists have also perfected a provisional model to assess the geographical risk of BSE in sheep, but it has not yet been proved that BSE can be transmitted to sheep. Furthermore, the SSC considered that the risk of BSE transmission by carrion birds are low and that it is therefore not useful to take further protection measures.