I also regret that the report does not call more clearly into question the current framework, laid down by the International Office of Epizootics, the rules of which are obviously too rigid, too restrictive and too dogmatic as far as the conditions for granting ‘FMD-free area’ status are concerned.

1. Without prejudice to Directive 90/425/EC, and in particular Article 10 thereof, where the foot-and-mouth disease virus appears to be spreading despite the measures taken in accordance with this Directive and the epizootic becomes extensive and in any case when emergency vaccination is implemented, Member States shall ensure that their territory is regionalised into one or more restricted and free zones.

(4) Whereas the Scientific Steering Committee adopted an opinion on safety of gleatine on 26 and 27 March 1998 which was updated on 18 and 19 February 1999; whereas this opinion addresses the questions under which conditions of sourcing of the material and/or of type of material used and/or production process gelatine destined for human consumption can be considered free of bovine spongiform encephalapathy (BSE) infectivity; whereas in this opinion, the Scientific Steering Committee distinguishes the recommended measures between different categories of geographical risk; whereas a final implementation can only follow after classification of countries and regions; whereas on 21 May 1999, at the general session of the International ...[+++]Office of Epizootics (IOE) Committee, a proposal of the IOE International Animal health Code Commission concerning the criteria for the determination of the BSE status of a country or zone was adopted; whereas in accordance to the procedure laid down in Commission Recommendation 98/477/EC(6), concerning information necessary to support applications for the evaluation of the epidemiological status of countries with respect to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, certain Member States and third countries submitted data necessary to allow assessment of their geographical risk; whereas, considering recent development of the IOE Code on BSE, pending the above scientific assessment and the subsequent decision making, the entry into force of rules for the production of gelatine derived from ruminant bones should be suspended until Community legislation concerning classification of countries or regions as regards their BSE status is applicable; whereas the Commission will initiate the procedure for the entry into force of rules for the production of gelatine derived from ruminant bones without delay after the adoption of Community legislation concerning classification of countries or regions as regards their BSE status;

(m) 'epizootic free area' means an area in which, according to official findings, the animals have not suffered from any of the contagious diseases on the list drawn up according to the procedure laid down in Article 29, for a period and within a radius to be defined in accordance with the same procedure;