Press Release on the Opinion of the Scientific Steering Committee on BSE of 29 october 1999

The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) today concluded unanimously that it does not share the concern expressed by the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA, Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des aliments) about the safety of the meat and meat products exported by the UK under the Date Based Export Scheme (DBES, EU council Decision 98/256/CE). The SSC’s detailed examination of the available data and new assessments clearly indicate that there are no grounds for revising the overall conclusions of the SSC-opinions on which the council Decision was based. The SSC concludes that, providing the safeguards built into the DBES are fulfilled, the safety of these UK-meat and meat products is comparable to these foods coming from elsewhere in the EU.

The AFSSA has questioned the validity of the safety assurances in the DBES. The Commission asked the SSC to address the different scientific points on which this position was based.

Focussing on public health risks from BSE for the whole of the European Union, the SSC evaluated the scientific material provided by the French authorities together with all other available scientific data, including those that have recently arisen.

The SSC concluded that, provided comparable and up-to-date information is used, it is clear that the decline of the UK BSE-epidemic continues in line with scientific expectations. Therefore there are currently no grounds for inferring a new and unknown route for BSE infection. Furthermore, the range of extensive and detailed measures taken by the UK to increase consumer safety with regard to BSE, means that meat and meat products exported from the UK under the DBES are as safe as those in other European Member States.

Considering the BSE tests recently evaluated by the Commission, the SSC concluded that these should be used for a better understanding of the BSE-situation throughout the EU. It supports the Commission’s efforts to define the validity of these tests in pre-clinical BSE cases. In general the SSC considers that any novel test which seemingly specifies the presence or absence of BSE has to be evaluated properly so that false assurances or alarms are not given.

The SSC will continue its analyses of risks associated with BSE in Europe and in the rest of the world and will make the Commission aware of any new findings or developments as they emerge.

The SSC is the Commission’s independent advisory Committee for dealing with any complex multidisciplinary problem relating to public health issues. There are sixteen members, eight appointed by the Commission and eight who are the Chairmen of the associated specialised Scientific Committees. All members act independently and ensure that a range of views can be applied to complex problems.

European Parliament: 29/10/1999