Plans to impose an EU-wide ban on meat-based animal feed received a blow last night when the EU's chief veterinary experts failed to approve the measure, leaving it to agriculture ministers to decide next week.
The proposal was announced this week by the EU Food Safety Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, as part of a package of measures aimed at halting the spread of BSE and reassuring consumers.
Although a majority of representatives on the Standing Veterinary Committee voted in favour of banning meat and bone meal (MBM), the proposal did not receive enough support for approval under the EU's qualified majority voting system. The Irish representative abstained in the vote.
An official close to Mr Byrne said the Commissioner remained confident that the ban, which was due to come into force for six months next January, would be approved next week. "We expected this. Negotiations and discussions will continue behind the scenes to see what kind of deal can be done," the official said.
The ban would cost EU governments 3 billion euros a year as unwanted meat and bone meal was incinerated, and some member-states argue that it should apply only where BSE cases have been found.
Italy, Greece, Finland, Austria and Sweden have not yet reported any cases of BSE, and other member-states already ban meat and bone meal.
When EU agriculture ministers meet in Brussels on Monday, they will also consider a proposal to remove all cattle aged over 30 months from the food chain unless they have been tested for BSE.
"We'll be talking to officials from all member-states ahead of the meeting of agriculture ministers on Monday and we're still confident of a positive outcome," the official said.
