Press Release: BSE: Byrne welcomes EP adoption of legislation setting out a comprehensive framework for combating BSE

On 3 May 2001 David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, welcomed the European Parliament's approval of the Commission's proposal for a comprehensive regulation on the prevention, control and eradication of Transmissable Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE). The EP position, adopted by the Plenary on 3 May 2001, frees the way for the final adoption of this draft Regulation by the Council of Ministers, and for its entry into force on July 1 2001. The proposed legislation will put the measures taken by the Commission over the past ten years to protect human and animal health from the risk of BSE on a solid legal basis. It is the first major veterinary proposal on public health to be adopted under the co-decision procedure between the Commission, European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. It brings all existing BSE measures as adopted over the years through more than sixty Commission Decisions into a single, comprehensive framework, consolidating and updating them in view of scientific advice and international standards. In addition, it introduces a number of new instruments to manage the risk of BSE and other similar diseases such as scrapie in all animal species and relevant products.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/food/fs/bse/bse15_en.pdf http://ec.europa.eu/comm/food/fs/bse/bse15_en.pdf

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