Public health policy

 

Doc. 7608

28 June 1996

 

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

presented by Mr. BANKS and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.         The Parliamentary Assembly recalls the recommendations it has adopted in the past on the quality control of foodstuffs and livestock farming, warning about the risks inherent in certain practices.

2.         It notes that the fears it expressed were unfortunately justified, as is shown by the "mad cow" or BSE (bovine spongiform encephalitis) affair, which is revealing the grave public health shortcomings that exist and Europe's inability to produce a co-ordinated response.

3.         This unfortunate affair illustrates once again the weight of economic considerations which outweigh even those of public health, a state of affairs that ought in no circumstances to be tolerated.

4.         Accordingly, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers adopt without delay public health control measures such as, for example, an independent European body on which consumers would be represented.

Signed[1]:

Banks, United Kingdom, SOC

Jacquat, France, LDR

Gusenbauer, Austria, SOC

Christodoulides, Cyprus, UEL

Belohorsk�, Slovakia, LDR

Farrugia, Malta, SOC

Valkeniers, Belgium, LDR

About, France, LDR

Fehr, Switzerland, LDR

Arnau, Spain, SOC

Dionisi, Italy, UEL

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[1]        SOC : Socialist Group

            EPP : Group of the European People's Party

            EDG : European Democratic Group

            LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

            UEL : Group of the Unified European Left