BSE controls final report, 20 December 2000, section 18, EU issues
93.The OTM rule, SRM controls and the feed recall scheme were covered by the so-called Florence Agreement of June 1996 which set the framework for the eventual lifting of the ban on export of British beef. The OTM rule and the feed ban are accepted as "equivalent measures" to those taken elsewhere (such as whole herd slaughter when BSE cases are confirmed). Any changes will therefore have to be agreed by other EU Member States before they can be implemented. We have kept the EU Commission in touch with the progress of our review and recommend that our conclusions are similarly drawn to the attention of the Commission and the relevant authorities in other Member States.
94.As mentioned in paragraphs 45, 47, 66 and 76 above, during the course of this review there have been new developments in the EU and new and amended controls are to be introduced from 1 January 2000 which to a greater or lessor extent mirror those which are the subject of this report. We welcome this.
95.Monitoring the trend for vCJD is important, not only in the UK but elsewhere. To that end we welcome the EU-funded collaborative studies that are underway between scientists from the CJD Surveillance Unit and their counterparts elsewhere. We note that this work should help ensure that any onset of vCJD cases in other member states is detected and reported as soon as possible.