August 9, 2007

EU confirms ban on British meat, dairy exports

European Union veterinary experts Wednesday (August 8) upheld an emergency ban imposed Monday on British exports of live animal, meat and dairy products following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at two farms in the south of England.

The formal ban will now be in place until August 25 and will be reviewed August 23, a European Commission spokesman said.

A new decision was endorsed to replace the emergency decision taken Monday," said spokesman Philip Tod.

The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health agreed to continue to treat Britain as a high-risk zone because the situation isn't yet stabilized, he said.

The committee also clarified that products from Northern Ireland aren't part of the ban and can pass through Britain for export, Tod said.