WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4045/97 by Raimo ILASKIVI , Marjo MATIKAINEN-KALLSTRÖM , Jyrki OTILA to the Commission. EHEC bacterium and cattle slaughter
22. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 196/67 During specific meetings the Commission, together with the Member States and independent experts, is assessing the sites put forward by the Member States for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. Owing to the large number of sites proposed (several thousand) it is not possible to assess the value of each of these in situ. In view of the delay in sending the Spanish lists the Commission has introduced an infringement procedure 3. against Spain for failure to comply with Directive 92/43/EC. (1) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992. (98/C 196/91) WRITTEN QUESTION E-4045/97 by Raimo Ilaskivi (PPE), Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE) and Jyrki Otila (PPE) to the Commission (14 January 1998) Subject: EHEC bacterium and cattle slaughter The EHEC (Enterohaemorrhagic escherichia coli) bacterium which has been observed in cattle in Finland has made it necessary to slaughter cattle to prevent the spread of the disease. There is good reason for this slaughter, since people have died and there have been cases of ábleeding belly diseaseí. How does the Commission propose to make sure that infected meat is not being used for human and animal consumption? The slaughter of cattle causes enormous financial losses to farmers; how does the Commission intend to compensate the farmers for their losses? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (9 February 1998) The production and marketing of fresh meat is governed by the rules of Directive 64/433/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat ( Fresh Meat Directiveí) as consolidated by Directive 91/496/EEC laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (1) and amended by Directive 95/23/EC on conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat (2). According to these rules Member States must ensure that the official veterinarian declares unfit for human consumption meat which is contaminated or affected by any disease. Therefore this meat cannot come into the human food chain. If this meat is rendered and used as feed it has to be treated in such a way that any infection or spread of disease is impossible. Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (3), commonly known as the áveterinary fundí, lays down detailed rules on Community contributions. Firstly, under Title III, Chapter 2 (Articles 29, 32 and 33) of Decision 90/424/EEC the Community can contribute to a national plan to control animal diseases. No plan covering EHEC has so far been approved. Secondly, Article 4(3) of the Decision provides for emergency assistance should there be an outbreak of one of the diseases referred to in Council Directive 92/117/EEC of 17 December 1992 concerning measures for protection against specified zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal origin in order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications (4), provided that the outbreak is an immediate risk to human health. No funding has so far been granted on this basis. (1) OJ L 268, 24. 9. 1991. (2) OJ L 243, 11. 10. 1995. (3) OJ L 224, 18. 8. 1990. (4) OJ L 62, 15. 3. 1993