EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES NEW 2001 BUDGET FOR BSE CRISIS.

Adopting the report by Jutta Haug (PES, Germany) by 444 votes to 50, with five abstentions, on 1 March, the European Parliament formally approved the Supplementary and Amending Budget (SAB) for 2001 which provides for Euro 971 million in extra funding to cope with the costs arising from the BSE crisis. The Council approved the draft SAB at first reading on 12 February.The funding in question is broken down as follows:The SAB will also release the Euro 60 million for tests which was entered in the reserve when the 2001 Budget was adopted. The European Parliament says this SAB is unlikely to be sufficient to deal with the costs of the BSE crisis, but maintains that the cost of the CAP must be kept within the budgetary framework laid down in...