WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/256
2 July 2001
(01-3291)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
QUESTIONS TO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Submission from Peru at the Meeting of 10-11 July 2001
Given the assurances in the White Paper that European consumers shall be provided with
essential and accurate information, as well as the need stressed by Commissioner Byrne for the
European Communities to re-establish public confidence in its food supply, law, science and control;
We would appreciate if the European Communities could explain:
1. Has it been determined that pure fishmeal may contain the prion which causes Transmissible
Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSB's) capable  of causing BSE disease in ruminants?
2. If not, why has fishmeal been tempor arily prohibited in ruminant diets?
3. Could such prohibition have an effect on higher yields, protein contents, presence of omega
fatty acids, immunity or better disease resistance, fertility, general resilience, and any other
capabilities and nutritional values in dairy cows, beef cattle, poultry and pigs?
4. Have the Food and Veterinary Office in Dublin  and/or the EC member States veterinary
services determined that there is any conclusive  data indicating that fishmeal is more cross-
contaminated with mammalian meat and bone meal (MMBM) than other food ingredients?
5. If such determination was made as the result of careful examination or other appropriate
technical and scientific evaluation, has the Commission taken, by itself and/or with thecooperation of the EU Food Industry, the steps to put in place an EC fishmeal scheme to
ensure elimination of the risk of any fraudulent or negligent mixing?
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