| Author (Person) | Thomson, Ian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | Chadwyck-Healey Ltd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 25/10/1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Two quite separate European agricultural issues became entangled in a fierce dispute involving the UK and France this week. Export of British beef On 27 March 1996 the European Commission introduced an export ban on UK bovine animals and the re-export of imported bovines, semen and embryos, beef or beef products. At the European Council, Florence, June 1996 the EU Member States agreed a framework procedure for lifting the embargo on UK beef exports, which had been imposed following the disclosure of the incidence of BSE in the UK beef herd. This involved such features as:
The Commission was invited to present the appropriate decision to lift the ban on UK beef exports as and when these conditions were fulfilled. Such decisions would be taken exclusively on the basis of public health and objective scientific criteria, helped by advice from the Scientific Steering Committee and related committees. This decision was proposed and adopted in November 1998 by Decision 98/692/EC (OJ L328, 4.12.98) (CELEX: 398D0692) and the date for lifting the embargo was subsequently set for 1 August 1999. Further background information is available in a MEMO/99/52 (28.10.99): issued by the European Commission during the week and in a contribution by EU Agricultural Commissioner Fischler (on behalf of EU Commissioner Byrne) in the European Parliament, Strasbourg on 29 October 1999: SPEECH/99/147 (29.10.99): By October twelve Member States had lifted their ban on the export of UK beef to their country and it is expected that the ban will be lifted in due course in Germany after certain Parliamentary procedures are completed. However, in France, the newly established Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA) (French Agency for Food Safety) (see also the French language site) issued an opinion on 30 September 1999 which suggested that the ban should continue in France on the basis of arguments related to scientific and control matters. The French Government announced on 1 October 1999 its decision to stop the procedure for lifting the embargo on British beef. The French Ministry of Agriculture also has a site (information in French). These scientific matters have been presented for the opinion of the Scientific Steering Committee. The Committee after long deliberation on 28 and 29 October 1999 gave its opinion in the evening of 29 October 1999: it concluded 'unanimously that we do not share the concern expressed by the French food safety agency. The detailed examination of the available data and new assessments clearly indicate that there are no grounds for revising the overall conclusions (that) the safety of UK meat and meat products is comparable to these foods coming from elsewhere in the EU'. (Press Release announcing the Opinion of the SSC. The text of the Opinion is also available as MEMO/99/54 (2.11.99) and on the website of the Scientific Steering Committee.) The immediate response by EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, can be found in Speech 148. He said 'I believe the French and German authorities should take stock of the Committee's opinion and lift their national restrictions on imports of British beef... European citizens can take comfort that their interests are being protected by a system of scientific advice that is based on independence, excellence and transparency...'. The European Commission made a statement and the European Parliament held a short debate on the issue on 29 October 1999 in Strasbourg (before the announcement of the Opinion of the Scientific Steering Committee later the same day). A 'Common Statement' by EU Commissioner Byrne, UK Agriculture Minister, Nick Brown, French Agriculture Minister, Jean Glavany, and Dominique Gillot was issued on 2 November 1999 after a meeting in Brussels: Press Release (Commission), IP/99/816 (2.11.99). EU Commissioner Byrne gave an 'Information Update' to the European Parliament on 3 November 1999: Speech (Commission), SPEECH/99/152 (4.11.99). He gave a wide-ranging speech on food safety in Europe, including reference to BSE and sewage sludge at a conference in Dublin on 5 November 1999. Further substantial background information on BSE from an official UK perspective can be found on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. This site contains a special section on the European dimension to the BSE crisis. The website of the official BSE inquiry set up by the UK Government in 1998 (and currently entering the last phase of its public hearings) is also a source of much information. There is also BBC Online file on BSE. The Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection has a website which contains links to all the key EU information sources issued over the years on the BSE crisis. The views of the National Farmers Union, the voice of the UK farmer, are expressed on their website. In particular, recent Press Releases on the subject of beef can be seen. The UK Representation of the European Commission issued a Background Briefing (No.35) on 28 October 1999 called 'UK beef exports'. Recent European Voice articles on the dispute include: Sewage sludge In August 1999 stories appeared in the media of the use in a number of European countries of sludge in animal feed.. The Commission contacted all Member States on 21 August 1999 reminding them that by Commission Decision 516/91 (CELEX: 391D0516) the use of sludge in animal compound feeding stuffs is prohibited. The issue has been subsequently discussed in a number of meetings of the Standing Veterinary Committee and the Standing Committee on Feedingstuffs where it became clear that there was some confusion as to the precise definition of sludge. In order to clarify the situation the Commission issued a detailed questionnaire to all Member States requesting comprehensive information on existing practices and definitions. Member States must submit their response to the questionnaire by 31 October 1999. The Commission is expected to present a proposal for legislation shortly which will ensure that there is no confusion over definitions. The European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office inspected the situation in a number of EU countries, and found during the inspection in France, 19-20 August 1999, some important shortcomings. Discussions are ongoing with French authorities on the implications of the report. The French authorities stress that the shortcomings have been firmly addressed and that the practice has now ceased. EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, spoke on the subject of sewage sludge to the Environment Committee of the European Parliament on 26 October 1999: SPEECH/99/142 (27.10.99). In the context of the attempts by the French authorities to retain the ban on the export of UK beef to France, the UK media and certain politicians used the sewage sludge issue to call for a UK ban on French food products on public health grounds. This call was resisted by the UK Government. A useful source of information is available on the website of the (UK) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which provides a question and answer brief on the topic and the text of advice received by UK Ministers provided by the Joint Food and Safety Standards Group of MAFF and the Department of Health. A further interesting link is to a speech called 'Britain and France: Close allies in Europe' given by Keith Vaz, UK Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the French Ambassador's Residence on 20 October. Further information and reactions to the events can be seen in:
The Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection is the key department in the European Commission responsible for these issues: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm Ian Thomson Background and reporting on the week's main stories in the European Union and the wider Europe. |
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| Subject Categories | Business and Industry, Culture, Education and Research | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
