September 12, 2007

British meat, livestock to re-enter EU next month

The European Union is set to lift all remaining restrictions on British meat and livestock in October following agreement by European veterinary experts that the threat of foot-and-mouth-disease in the country is over.

The export ban on British meat and livestock was lifted last month with the exception of the 6.2 miles surveillance zones from two farms in Surrey where the disease occurred. 

Animals from that area are still barred entry to European market until after November 9, allowing a sufficient lapse of time since the July outbreak for other EU nations to protect their internationally recognised foot-and-mouth disease status, the Commission said in a statement.

The surveillance zone in the site has been removed by authorities last week.

The Commission also expressed similar observations that the outbreak "may have been the result of biosecurity issues on the Pirbright site," a nearby centre for veterinary research.

British investigators believed the outbreak was probably caused by leaking drains, flooding and vehicles moving from the two nearby laboratories, without specifying the exact source.

The European Commission will carry out investigations of the outbreak area and other such laboratories across the EU in the coming months to decide whether any action is needed to avoid similar outbreaks.