BONINO CHOSEN AS NEW BSE CHIEF

from Charles BREMNER

In a move to quell continental anger over its handling of the "mad cow" epidemic. the European Commission yesterday invested Emma Bonino, one of Brussels' star members, with new authority as chief of consumer health and downgraded the powerful agriculture directorate.

Stung by criticism from MEPs, Jacques Santer. President of the Commission, hopes the internal revamp will appease the Strasbourg assembly when it decides next week whether to censure the Brussels executive over its management of the BSE crisis. The Parliament is to endorse the findings of an inquiry which accused the Commission of consistent negligence, conniving with Britain and a policy which gave priority to the beef industry over public health.

A vocal band of MEPs is pushing the Parliament to pass a censure vote - though this is highly unlikely to succeed.

The main loser in the reshuffle is Franz Fischler, the Austrian Farm Commissioner, who heads Directorate General VI, an empire within the Commission which runs agriculture, including making, implementing and monitoring policy on animal health and food safety. As part of the reform, the Commission is revamping the byzantine system of scientific committees responsible for formulating policy. making them more accountable.

The seven committees concerned with food safety will now report to the much-enlarged directorate under the Italian Signora Bonino.

Under the revamp. a group of commissioners headed by Mr Santer and including Signora Bonino will co-ordinate policy on food and human health, now one of the most sensitive areas of decision-making.