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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 99-03-24
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Porte-Paroleb
23/03/99
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission : POLFIN may sail forth
[02] No evidence for BSE transmission through milk
[03] Nouvelles en bref de l'aide humanitaire : Tibet, Cambodge, Bolivie
[01] Commission : POLFIN may sail forth
The European Commission has decided not to oppose exemption to the POLFIN
Liner Conference. Under the arrangement, Finncarriers Oy Ab, EuroAfrica
Shipping Lines Limited and Poseidon Schiffahrt AG pool resources, revenues
and expenses arising from their respective liner services between ports in
Finland and ports in Poland. The parties operate three sailings a week
between Helsinki and Gdynia, one sailing a week between Helsinki and
Szczecin and one sailing a week between Kotka and Gdynia.
[02] No evidence for BSE transmission through milk
The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) sees no evidence for transmission
of BSE through milk. Hence, there is no reason for restriction on the use
of milk, stated the 16 independent scientists in an opinion on possible
vertical transmission of BSE (from mother to calf) on Friday. The higher
infection rate of calves from BSE-infected cows of between 5 and 15% is
rather to be found in other routes of contagion. The definite mechanisms
for vertical transmission still need to be clarified, they said. With
respect to these mechanisms, the SSC considers that transmission of BSE by
artificial insemination is unlikely for semen derived from BSE-affected
bulls early in their incubation period and that transmission of BSE via
embryos is unlikely provided International Embryo Transfer Society
protocols are used. However, the experts stated that - as a precautionary
measure - milk from BSE-affected cows should be taken out, although this
milk is not proven to be infectuous. The safety of milk is permanently
monitored by the SSC. The Committee also put a preliminary opinion on the
recycling of fallen stock, dead animals (including also ruminants, pigs,
poultry, fish, wild/zoo/exotic animals, laboratory animals, fish, fur
animals and cats) and condemned materials, i.e. animals not fit for human
consumption onto internet for comments of interested parties. With respect
to the high risks of TSEs and unconventional, not yet identified infectious
agents, the present industrial processes of inactivating conventional
infectious agents could not be considered safe enough. The scientists
recommend that animals and SRMs with TSE or suspected of being so, should
be incinerated or burned after rendering and not be recycled for any direct
or indirect use, including use in cosmetics, pharmaceutical or medical
products and devises. The opinion and the preliminary opinion will shortly
be available under the following address : http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/health/sc/ssc/outcome_en.html
[03] Nouvelles en bref de l'aide humanitaire : Tibet, Cambodge, Bolivie
La Commission européenne a approuvé l'octroi d'une aide humanitaire en
faveur de projets au Tibet (1,5 million d'euros), au Cambodge (1 million
d'euros) et en Bolivie (500.000 euros). L'aide, gérée par l'Office
humanitaire de la Communauté européenne (ECHO), permettra aux organisations
humanitaires d'exécuter des projets au cours des trois à six prochains
mois.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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