October 4, 2005

EU inspectors issue favourable report for UK BSE control

EU inspectors from the bloc's Food and Veterinary Office have issued a favourable report on UK BSE, or mad cow disease, controls.

This might open the way for British beef to re-enter EU markets again by early next year, reports said.

The inspectors have examined British BSE monitoring methods, controls on specified risk materials and animal feeds, and the country's cattle identification systems.

They said "satisfactory progress" was found in most areas, and data quality on identification and registration have also "considerably improved".

The European Commission had earlier set down the two prerequisites for removing export restrictions on UK beef. One was a favourable report following inspections, and the other was that BSE cases had to fall below 200 cases a million head of adult cattle.

The EU Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General said the UK has met both conditions.

EU member states would next discuss the report findings in the EU's food chain committee. Then the commission would prepare a proposal to resume normal imports of British beef.

EU agriculture ministers were expected to consider the proposal during a meeting in December.