Vol. 487 No. 1
89 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department will back the call of the Danish Government for an EU ban on in-feed antibiotic use in view of the recently reported link of antibiotic resistance being passed on to humans through the presence of antibiotics in food. [3575/98]
The authorisation and use of antibiotics in feedingstuffs for growth promotion purposes is regulated under the Feed Additives Directive (70/524/EEC). The directive lays down strict criteria for the authorisation of additives. Manufacturers are required to carry out detailed studies, in accordance with established guidelines, to enable evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of products. In addition to the assessment carried out by member state experts, the EU Commission always consults the Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition — an independent body of experts set up to advise the Commission on the safety matters relating to feedingstuffs — where authorisation of an antibiotic is concerned.
There are ten antibiotics currently authorised throughout the EU for use in feed, subject to specified conditions of use, e.g. category of animal, dose rate, etc. The Danish Government has not proposed a ban on the use of antibiotics as feed additives. Rather, under the safeguard clause in the directive, on 16 January 1998 it prohibited use of one of the antibiotics currently authorised, virginiamycin. This provision enables member states to take action at national level where new information shows dangers arising from the use of a feed additive. Under the terms of this provision, Denmark is required to provide other member states and the Commission with the detailed grounds for its decision.
When this information becomes available, the Commission, in consultation with other member states, will examine the data and take appropriate measures. If during this process, evidence of a risk to human or animal health is established I will have no hesitation in supporting the Danish position on this feed additive.
