91997E1607

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1607/97 by José Valverde López (PPE) to the Commission (7 May 1997)

Subject: Review of technical requirements laid down by the Commission for the production of gelatine

By a decision of 11 June 1996 the Commission laid down technical requirements for the production of gelatine.

According to the Multidisciplinary Scientific Committee, the technical requirements in question do not provide absolute guarantees that the BSE agent has been rendered inactive. The committee says that only if primary matter from cattle were uninfected could it be guaranteed that gelatine would be entirely free of risk.

What urgent decisions does the Commission plan to take to ban the marketing of any gelatine which cannot be guaranteed totally safe for consumers?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (11 September 1997)

On 11 June 1996, the Commission introduced measures to ensure the safety of gelatine produced in the United Kingdom. These measures included the setting of minimum processing standards, the exclusion from raw material of any tissues categorised as high risk and the setting of pre-conditions to be fulfilled before exports could take place.

The scientific basis for the minimum standards, however, has been found to be flawed and, therefore, the Commission has not taken the steps necessary to permit the export of gelatine from the United Kingdom if produced from raw materials derived from bovine animals slaughtered in the United Kingdom. However, all gelatine produced in the United Kingdom for food, feed, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products is now produced from raw materials derived from outside the United Kingdom. Inspections have taken place to ensure traceability of the gelatine to the Member State of origin. Additional legislation is being considered.

The results of the Commission inspections carried out at the end of 1996 have clearly indicated that no Member State may be considered to be free from the risk from transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. On these grounds, therefore, the Commission has presented again a proposal for the removal of high risk material to the Member States within the standing veterinary committee on 16 July 1997. As this did not receive the required majority, the measures laid down in the draft were submitted as a proposal for a Council decision on 17 July ((COM(97) 419 final. )) in accordance with the regulatory committee procedure. Following discussion in the Council the Commission accepted certain amendments but the Council did not adopt the proposal and indicated that it would not re-discuss it within the next 15 days. In consequence the Commission adopted the measures in conformity with the regulatory committee procedure on 30 July 1997 ((OJ L 216, 8.8.1997. )).