Council Press Release (PRES/08/168), 10 June 2008
The following is an extract from the press release following the E-US Summit meeting
TRANSATLANTIC ECONOMIC COUNCIL REPORT TO THE EU-US SUMMIT 2008
At the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) meeting in November 2007, the subject of the treatment of poultry meat with pathogen reduction substances was discussed. The European Commission has undertaken to act on this issue before the next EU-U.S. Summit, after receiving scientific advice. In this sense, the Commission consulted the European Food Safety Authority on the possible effects of the treatment on antimicrobial resistance and the Scientific Committee on Health and Environment and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks on the environmental risk and on the risk of emergence of microbial resistance associated with the use of these substances.
The Commission has reviewed these scientific opinions and, in the light of those opinions, which provide no scientific basis for the continuation of the import ban, it will in the coming weeks come forward with a proposal for allowing the use of pathogen reduction treatments for poultry meat in the EU Member States and in imported poultry products. In line with its previous commitment, the Commission will actively solicit Member State and European Parliament support and will make best endeavours to achieve the final adoption of the relevant EU legislation before the next TEC meeting, planned for autumn 2008.