UK allowed to resume meat exports

FE Team | Published: August 24, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Andrew Bounds, FT Syndication Service
BRUSSELS: British farmers will be able to export meat and live animals from next week after the European Union lifted a ban imposed after the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
Restrictions will be limited to farms in a 10km zone around the source of the outbreak south-west of London.
Veterinary experts from the 27 member states agreed the move at a Brussels meeting on Thursday. The European Commission backed London's request for a lifting because there had been no new cases since August 7.
Fred Landeg, the UK deputy chief vet, said the unanimous decision was a "vote of confidence" in the country's disease controls.
Around 500 animals were culled to prevent the spread of the virus, which was confined to two farms. "We learned the lessons of previous outbreaks," he said.
Nevertheless, he said there would be an inquiry to find out whether anything could have been done differently.
British meat, dairy products and live animals can be exported to the EU as long as a vet certifies it originates outside the small surveillance zone. It will be up to three months more before the ban is lifted worldwide.
The source of the virus is still unknown. It is almost certain it leaked either from a government research laboratory or a vaccine maker on the same site. Mr Landeg said an investigation would be completed within a few days.
Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said the lifting of the ban was "fantastic news". However, his members will seek compensation for lost exports and are ready to sue those responsible, if it can be proved.
They have already lost Â£30m in exports, according to the Meat and Livestock Commission.
The UK would ask the EU to pay half the costs of managing the epidemic, Mr Landeg said.