EU acts over BSE scare

Mad cow disease is spreading throughout Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- European Union leaders have proposed a series of new measures to try to eradicate the lethal mad cow disease and stem a public health scare over beef.

The executive commission proposed an EU-wide ban on animal products in fodder for cows, pigs and poultry for six months starting on January 1, and the testing of half a million older cattle.

The steps are part of an attempt to stop the disease spreading to humans through contaminated meat.

Two people in France and 80 in Britain have died from the human form of the disease, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), while another 89 people across the EU have been infected.

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Mad cow disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, "is now moving from one member state to another," EU Health Commissioner David Byrne said.

"We should adopt an overall approach to address the risks so consumers can see what is done to protect their health."

The latest mad cow scare was sparked by the discovery of infected cows in France, along with a recorded case of its human form. Since then, scientists have found the first cattle with the disease in Germany and Spain.

French beef imports have been banned in several EU countries. Some east European nations have also banned imports from EU members with reported cases of the disease.

Agriculture ministers from the 15-nation group are expected to approve the temporary fodder ban and other recommendations on Monday.

Last week they agreed in principle to more testing of cattle of 30 months and older.

Some half a million cattle could be tested in the first six months of 2001 under the proposal, officials said. The EU would then review whether to continue the testing.

BSE is thought to be transmitted when cattle eat fodder with ground parts of infected animals.

The European Commission also recommended on Wednesday that the list of "specified risk material"-- animal parts such as brains and nerve tissues -- be expanded to include the intestine of beef of all ages.

Britain's food safety agency said Wednesday it was too early for a decision on whether French beef should be banned from Britain, while Spain followed France's example and banned meat and bone meal from animal feed ahead of next week's agriculture ministers meeting.

The health scare has rivaled the fears raised in 1996 when scientists linked BSE to vCJD.

"Consumers now clearly want copper-fastened guarantees that these controls are being implemented," Byrne told reporters.

Meanwhile, Germany's farm minister on Wednesday rejected charges that he had bungled the crisis over the spread of BSE and said he would not resign.

Karl-Heinz Funke, after insisting last week Germany was free of BSE before admitting on Friday the country had two infected cows, said he had the full support of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

"There is no reason whatsoever to resign. Schroeder is clearly behind me," Funke told journalists.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

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European Union
Human BSE Foundation
World Health Organisation Infection Control Guidelines

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