EU Commission accused of double standards on imported meat safeguards

3.17.26pm GMT Tue 22nd Dec 2009

Liz Lynne MEP discussed the problems of proposed EID sheep tags with farmers at Ludlow Livestock Market

The European Commission has been accused of double standards by West Midlands region Euro MP Liz Lynne after it ruled out enforcing the same standards of traceability for imported meat as are imposed on local farmers and within the EU.

Liz Lynne and other LibDem MEPs have previously called on the Commission to compel non-EU states to enforce the same level of traceability as will be required here when the electronic tagging system comes into effect on January 10th. However, in answer to a Parliamentary question, the EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou ruled this out.

Commenting, local LibDem MEP Liz Lynne said: "This is particularly disappointing after the long battle we fought to win concessions over the proposed introduction of individual electronic tags for sheep and goats, which are vastly expensive. The Commission appears to be guilty of double standards.

"The Commission claims that electronic identification (or EID) is necessary even for sheep to protect farmers and consumers from the threat of diseases like foot and mouth but then does not demand the same standards for third countries that export to the EU.

"The recent findings of failings in the safety controls for Brazilian export beef by EU inspectors highlight a potential risk of foot and mouth disease and is a further cause for concern.

"It is unacceptable to spend huge amounts of money on electronic identifiers while not enforcing a level playing field for every producer selling meat to the British consumer.

"The concessions announced by DEFRA in the autumn on the introduction of tagging, after a very hard fought campaign, at least will allow sheep farmers to move animals around from pasture to pasture without using individual tags.

"Without this concession, many sheep farmers in my regional constituency faced bankruptcy. However, I remain unconvinced that the approach is appropriate.

"Recent trials in Scotland found the new EID system not to be significantly more accurate than batch tagging in recording disease. The cost is still disproportionate to the value of animals being tagged - cows are large animals worth a lot of money, but sheep are very small yet the cost of the tag is the same.

"Where will this end? Will they suggest tagging chickens next? The NFU is absolutely right to be working for batch identification as the default for smaller animals and in calling for a level playing field for all meat sold to European consumers."

ENDS

Note: In October Defra announced that farmers who move sheep to temporary grazing or rented land could record the movements using the UK's existing batch tagging system rather than the new regime that would have demanded every animal individually identified as well as the switch in location. The move will limit the impact of the new electronic recording and identification regime (EID) that is to be introduced in stages from January 1.