Consumer, health and environment protection: recourse to the precautionary principle

The committee adopted the report by Béatrice PATRIE (PES, F). It felt that the EU's approach to the use of the precautionary principle should be clarified, and not only in the light of current developments on the BSE front. The report emphasised the need for a well-balanced position in which risks were considered on a case-by-case basis. The committee called on the Council of Ministers to adopt a resolution on the EU's approach to using the precautionary principle by the end of 2000. In particular, it wanted clearer guidelines on the application of the principle, believing it should be invoked whenever, as a result of incomplete, inconclusive or uncertain scientific information, there were reasonable grounds for concern that the environment or human, animal or plant health might suffer. �