WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3850/97 by Jean-Pierre BÉBÉAR to the Commission. BSE - industrial use of tallow
C 187/70 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 6. 98 (98/C 187/110) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3850/97 by Jean-Pierre Be·be·ar (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1997) Subject: BSE › industrial use of tallow The European Commission Decision 97/534/EC (1) of 20 July 1997 seeks to prohibit the use in the countries of the European Union of ámaterials presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathiesí of bovine, ovine or caprine origin, with effect from 1 January 1998. In the European Union companies manufacture oleochemical products based on tallow products intended for use, for example, in textile softeners, paint additives, printing inks or emulsifiers for road asphalt. Decision 97/534/EC c call into question all the authorizations and approvals of these products as far as the clients are concerned. Would it be possible, while still protecting public health, to make the Commission decision more specific as regards imports from third countries for the production of non-pharmaceutical and non-cosmetic by-products? (1) OJ L 216, 8. 8. 1997, p. 95. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 February 1998) Commission Decision 97/534/EC of 30 July 1997 on the prohibition of the use of material presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies prohibits, from 1 April 1998 onwards, the use in the Community for any purpose of specified risk material. The Decision defines áspecified risk materialí as: a) the skull, including the brain and eyes, tonsils and spinal cord of: › bovine animals aged over 12 months, › ovine and caprine animals which are aged over 12 months or have a permanent incisor tooth erupted through the gum; b) the spleens of ovine and caprine animals. The effect of this Decision on Community tallow production is that slaughterhouse waste used as raw material will not contain the above tissues, but these tissues do not form a significant proportion of the raw material. In addition, fallen stock would not be available for tallow production, but these carcases constitute a very small proportion of the raw material. The effect of Decision 97/534/EC on the production of tallow in the Community will, therefore, be negligible. As far as imports from third countries are concerned, the Decision only requires that products for food, animal feed, medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes be certified free from specified risk materials. It does not affect tallow products for industrial use. However, the Commission is aware of the concern in some quarters, referred to by the Honourable Member, that the wording of the Decision could give rise to different interpretations. Accordingly, the Commission intends, in the course of amending the Decision in the light of new scientific advice, to take the opportunity to clarify the text to make it clear that it does not apply to products which carry no health risk. (98/C 187/111) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3851/97 by Rijk van Dam (I-EDN) to the Commission (21 November 1997) Subject: Freedom of religion in Morocco In answer to my Written Question E-3136/97 (1) the Commission stated that it was not in a position to confirm reports of the illegal expulsion of two Christians from Morocco. Nonetheless, various organizations including