December 31, 2007

Scotland urges EU to tighten cattle export rules from bluetongue zones
 

Scotland, through the advocacy of Scottish farms minister Richard Lochhead, called for an urgent review of EU export controls to prevent the spreading of bluetongue virus.

This was after the discovery of an isolated case in Kirkcudbright, Scotland last week.

Lochhead wrote to secretary of state Hilary Benn to obtain a review of existing safeguards, and to work with the EU to tighten export rules.

Over the last three weeks, three consignments of animals transported to the UK from bluetongue zones in Europe have tested positive for the virus, the most recent being the Kirkcudbright case, one of 35 cattle imported to Scotland from Bremen in Germany.

Lochhead said that this raises serious questions on the current EU regulation and controls designed to prevent such animals being exported to disease-free areas.

Scottish officials have been working closely with UK counterparts on this issue, according to the minister. It is absolutely vital that a robust regime for the management of bluetongue is in place and that lessons from these incidents are learned at EU level, he added.