Since 1989, the European Commission, in close co-operation
with the Member States has taken a series of measures to
manage the risk of BSE in the EU. Since September 1999, the Directorate-General
for Health and Consumer Protection is
responsible for the measures to protect both human and animal
health from the risk of BSE. The Commissioner David Byrne has set out
his views on BSE-related issues in
a series of speeches to the European Parliament, the Council
of Ministers and others.
The responsibilities of the Directorate-General
for Health and Consumer Protection in relation to BSE include:
development of veterinary legislation
to protect consumer and animal health and to ensure the
safety of animal feed;
management of the Standing Committee
on the Food Chain and Animal Health where representatives
of the Member States discuss current veterinary issues and
approve urgent measures as necessary;
management of the scientific committees
advising the European Commission on consumer health protection
issues, including BSE;
inspection and control of the correct
implementation of legislation to protect animal and consumer
health by the Member States.
Legislative measures on BSE up to 1st July
2001 were adopted by the European Commission as safeguard
measures after approval by the representatives of the Member
States in the Standing Veterinary Committee. As of 1st July 2001 European Parliament
and Council Regulation No 999/2001 forms
the legal basis for all legislative action on BSE and will
in due course replace the existing Commission Decisions on
safeguard measures.
