At the last November General Assembly (2023) the Veterinarians for Public Health adopted the position paper on ruminant Processed Animal Proteins (PAP) and Meat and Bone Meal (MBM).
UEVH aknowledges that there are lots of potential benefits to the use of MBM and especially for ruminant PAPs. They pose a low risk for health and disease and cross-contamination prevention over the years has proved to be efficient. They also provide an excellent alternative to soya with the potential for the EU animal agriculture sector to reduce the environmental impact and European protein self-sufficiency. It fulfils the Green Deal´s key approach to a bio-circular economy.
Moreover, since the BSE incidence cases in Europe over the years have been limited to negligible risk, and in May 2023 the WOAH General Session adopted the up-to-date Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) risk status (Resolution N. 20), UEVH acknowledges that Europe has still stricter rules for the use of animal meals compared to the rest of the world. For these reasons,
UEVH calls the EU Commission and the Member States to:
- Further join forces, and collect research outcomes to provide a sound scientific basis for a risk-based and sustainable use of MBM and ruminant PAPs;
- Establish a level playing field for the European Animal By-Products by revising the current set of legislation and aligning the EU legislative framework with the rest of the world to foster animal health and welfare, the circularity of resources and fair competition;
- Allow the use of ruminant PAPs in aquafeed and in all non-ruminant species.
