Prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)

The Commission has presented its working document with regard to the state of play on the prohibitions to feed animal protein to farmed animals to prevent transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. In this document, the Commission recalls Council Decision 2000/766/EC of 4 December 2000 concerning certain protection measures with regard to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and the feeding of animal protein lays down the extended feed ban as a transitional measure for the implementation of Regulation 999/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (the TSE Regulation). The Council and the European Parliament have recently adopted a proposal to extend the TSE transitional measures until 30 June 2005, due to certain delays in the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) categorisation of countries. However, in order to clarify the legal situation as regards this ban, and because it is appropriate to maintain an extended feed ban regardless of the future BSE status of the Member States, a proposal to introduce the current measures into Annex IV of the TSE Regulation received a favourable opinion at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health of 17 June 2003 and is now in the process of adoption. It will apply from 1 September 2003. When appropriate, the specific provisions relating to the feed ban will be reconsidered, in particular regarding the use of fishmeal, in the light of new scientific developments, the availability of reliable tests, improved control measures in the Member States and, where appropriate, the outcome of a risk assessment.�