WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1945/97 by Esko SEPPÄNEN to the Commission. BSE in The Netherlands
11. 3. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 76/65 The main elements of the control programme are: › coordinated deployment of control resources (aerial surveillance, patrol vessels) by the Member States concerned › Greece, Spain, France and Italy, › exchange of national fisheries inspectors which will be deployed on patrol vessels provided by different Member States, › extensive sea patrols and port inspection, › zero tolerance on non-compliance with Community rules, › close monitoring of national control programmes by the Commissionís fisheries inspectorate. The adoption of a common control programme which envisages close co-operation and co-ordination between Member States and facilitates the exchange and deployment of national inspectors marks a new departure for the monitoring of this fishery. The programme has been agreed in order to overcome control deficiencies noted in the past and to ensure that the fishery is conducted in full compliance with Community rules. For its part, the Commission will closely monitor the implementation of the control programmes by Member States throughout the season and to that end will deploy its inspectors in ports and on board patrol vessels provided by Member States. In this regard, the Commission and the Member States have agreed on a zero tolerance policy with respect to any incidence of non-compliance by Community fishermen during the 1997 season. Fishermen engaging in the driftnet fishery will now have the possibility of receiving cessation premiums provided by the Italian national conversion plan. Joining the conversion plan is voluntary, therefore those fisherman wishing to continue driftnetting may do so, provided that Community legislation is respected. (98/C 76/150) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1945/97 by Esko Seppa¤nen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (4 June 1997) Subject: BSE in The Netherlands According to reports in the Finnish press, the first case of BSE in the Netherlands occurred a few weeks ago. Does the Commission know whether this report is true, and if so, what does it intend to do to prevent the spread of the disease? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 August 1997) The Commission was informed by the Dutch authorities immediately after confirmation of the first and again after the second case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on its territory, on 21 March 1997 and 7 April 1997. At the same time the authorities in other Member States were informed by way of the animal disease notification system (ADNS), in accordance with Community rules. Subsequently the Dutch veterinary authorities reported on their findings and the measures taken, to the various meetings of the standing veterinary committee. The measures taken were considered adequate by the Member States and the Commission in protecting public and animal health, against risk of exposure to the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent resulting from these two outbreaks