Tag: BSE

Based on a favourable report from the Commission's Food and Veterinary Office, the Commission is about to draft a proposal to lift the export ban on British beef, in force since March 1996. 

On 13 November 2002, the Commission decided to withdraw its application to the Court of Justice for a fine against France, following the analysis of the French transposition law allowing for imports of British beef.

The Commission has asked the European Court of Justice to fine France for every day the ban on UK beef remains in place. This is the second time France is taken to court for refusing to import beef from the UK.

Despite the findings of an American research team of BSE prions the muscle of mice, tests on muscle tissue of cattle and sheep show no evidence of prions so far. The EU's Scientific Steering Committee has therefore decided not to recommend changes to the current food safety legislation.

A team of US researchers led by Nobel prize winner Stanley Prusiner at the University of California (San Francisco) discovered prions in the hind legs of mice, indicating that BSE prions could infect the muscle of cattle. Up to now, measures against BSE were based on the assumption that prions are transmitted only through the nervous systems or lymphatic tissues of cattle.

French agriculture minister Jean Glavany indicated that France is not sure whether it will lift its ban on British beef, despite the ruling of the European Court of Justice. He cited a report of the EU's Food and Veterinary Office that casts doubts on the efficiency of BSE testing in the UK, and said his government's decision would be solely based on the principal of precaution.

For the first time in Austria, a cow was found to be infected with bovine spongiform encepalopathy (BSE), following routine tests. A few days earlier, Finland declared its first case of mad cow disease.

The first case of BSE has been confirmed in Japan after a cow tested positive in the Chiba area near Tokyo. The case comes only months after the government played down European warnings that Japanese cattle were at risk. This is the first known case of BSE in Japan and in Asia.

Agriculture Council adopt Directive amending current legislative rules on the protection of pigs but fail to agree on the meat and bone meal ban

EU agriculture minister meeting to focus on reforms to the beef and sugar markets

European Parliament approves Commission proposal for comprehensive regulation on the prevention, control and eradication of TSEs

EU agriculture minister meet in Luxembourg to discuss current sugar regime, extension of the animal feed ban and recent EU-US banana agreement

EU scientists publish report assessing the geographical risk of BSE in 28 third countries

Farm ministers will try to get a grip on foot-and-mouth disease and the continuing BSE scare, which have plunged Europe's agriculture into crisis

Member States and Commission clash over proposed "purchase and destruction" beef plan

Agriculture ministers meet to discuss how to manage BSE crisis and foot-and-mouth outbreak in the United Kingdom

French and German farmers prepare billion-euro lawsuit against respective governments for unsuccessfully stopping spread of BSE

German government confirms its plans to send meat to famine-stricken North Korea

Germany's government and Farmers' Association (DBV) vehemently oppose the commission's beef plan

Agriculture Commissioner Fischler announces new emergency measures to deal with the disastrous effect of the BSE crisis the beef and veal market

Food and Agriculture Organisation fears that BSE may have spread outside Europe

European Union veterinary chiefs approve plans to limit the sale of T-bone steaks

EU ministers of agriculture meeting to discuss mad cow disease (BSE) and protection of animals when transported

European Commission to propose plans to reform the EU's common agricultural policy (CAP) in light of BSE crises.