Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-11-15-Speech-3-181"
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"en.20001115.9.3-181"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, you asked to hear, on the occasion of this plenary sitting, from the Presidency about the current situation, in France and in Europe, with regard to the prevention of, and the fight against, mad cow disease.
It is necessary to add that, over and above the health issues, animal meal is seen by the consumer as a symbol of the abuses of a certain method of agricultural production which has been in operation for 40 years. This method has guaranteed the supply of foodstuffs at low cost but its limitations have since been exposed and it has been called into question over the last few years.
That is why the French Government decided to suspend the use of meat-and-bone meal in feed for pigs, poultry, fish and domestic animals. Only fish meal can continue to be given to fish.
Meanwhile, the French Food Safety Agency is carrying out new scientific research into the possible health risks linked to meat-and-bone meal in the light of the progress of knowledge and the efficacy of safety measures.
In parallel, the French Government is taking steps to withdraw specified risk materials from the food chain. In accordance with recent scientific recommendations, it has decided to enforce the removal of the spinal cord.
As you know, yesterday the French Government adopted national measures to strengthen health safety, including the suspension of the use of animal meal in feed for pigs and poultry. I was with the Prime Minister, Mr Jospin, when he announced this action plan. The Council of the European Union is also playing an active role, in concert with the European Parliament and the European Commission, in updating and constantly reinforcing Europe’s raft of measures to prevent and combat this disease.
I understand that you wanted me to address you today regarding these two aspects, in other words, the state of play in the fight against BSE in Europe and related developments in France.
I will therefore start by confirming the raft of measures adopted by the French Government yesterday, and I will then talk about the initiatives taken by the Presidency, and the Community developments that are underway. It is important to take stock of the situation with regard to the fight against BSE in the broader context of food safety developments in Europe.
Yesterday, then, in Paris, the French Government announced an intensification of national health safety measures. This action plan places public health and transparency at the top of the agenda, this being a requirement of the French Government.
Faced with a situation of uncertainty in the event of a potential major risk to public health, all decisions necessary to protect health must be taken and constantly reassessed in the light of developments in scientific knowledge and opinion. This is thus our third guiding principle: the precautionary principle.
An additional stage in protecting public health seems to be necessary. Two facts have increased concerns about meal of animal origin in animal feed.
Firstly, the emergence of cases of BSE in cattle born after the ban on animal meal was imposed. The hypothesis of the accidental or fraudulent cross contamination of these animals by meal of animal origin has been put forward.
Secondly, a report released earlier this month by the UK Government enabled us to take stock of the difficulties of controlling and using this type of meal."@en1
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