November 21, 2007

EU gradually lifts export restrictions on British beef

Veterinary experts from the European Union eased more trade restrictions on meat exports from Britain on Tuesday (November 20), stating UK has somehow succeeded in eradicating foot-and-mouth disease .

With no new outbreaks of the disease reported since mid-September, the European Commission have allowed British producers to dispatch fresh meat and meat products from a high-risk zone, under strict conditions, that immediately surrounds the infected area.

In a statement, the Commission said: "The prevention and control measures that have been rigorously implemented appear to have been successful in eradicating the virus."

British meat exporters were given conditions such as a 21-day pre-slaughter standstill for the animals used to produce the meat, along with disease inspections before and after slaughter. The meat must then be quarantined for 24 hours and can only be exported if there is no suspicion of disease on the original farm.

Foot-and-mouth disease was reported in August at a farm in Surrey in southeast England, with subsequent outbreaks.

EU veterinarians have split Britain into three zones according to risk, with the area immediately surrounding the farms where the outbreaks occurred designated as a high-risk zone from where animals and their products were not allowed to be exported.

That zone, of around 40- kilometre radius, still has some restrictions on animal movements. It is surrounded by a moderate-risk buffer zone with less stringent restrictions.

The rest of Great Britain is considered as a low-risk zone, with no restrictions on movements or trade in meat and products.