No return to bone-in ban EU


4 May 2000



No return to bone-in ban — EU


THE EU has removed the threat of re-introducing the beef-on-the-bone ban in the UK.

While the rest of the EU will face stricter controls for the removal of specified risk materials which could contain BSE contamination, there will be a more lenient approach for Britain.

This is in recognition of the measures already taken in the UK to exclude high-risk tissue, reports the BBC Radio 4 Farming Today programme.

The European Commission has proposed EU-wide on specified risk materials in all member state, which will have to remove some specified risk material whether they have had cases of BSE or not.

These proposals will now be put to the standing vets committee next week.

In Britain additional measures required due to its high-risk status will only apply to animals which are over thirty months.

EU specialist Roger Waite of Agra Facts told the BBC Radio 4 Farming Today programme that beef-on-the-bone from animals under 30 months old would not face a ban.

“The the beef-on-the-bone ban which would other wise have to be re-imposed will not have to be re-imposed according to the proposals to be put to the veterinary standing committee.”