RELIEF AT BRAZILIAN BEEF BAN

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 31st Jan 2008

Liz Lynne MEP, Liberal Democrat Agriculture spokesperson for England and Wales in the European Parliament, has welcomed a European Commission statement signalling a temporary ban on Brazilian beef imports into the European Union from today (Thursday).

Restrictions announced in December meant that only beef from an agreed list of Brazilian farms would be allowed into the EU from today. This was because of concerns over lax health and quality control, instances of foot and mouth disease and a lack of traceability of livestock in many areas. The European Commission has announced that as no list could be agreed with the Brazilian government, all imports would be suspended.

Commenting on the announcement today, Liz Lynne said:

"If Brazilian beef is to be sold in Europe, checks in Brazil must be as strict as they are for our own farmers. As this is currently not happening, restrictions are necessary until their inspection system can be brought up to scratch."

"Farmers and traders in Brazil were widely suspected of cutting corners and getting around the law, still selling livestock from regions with an existing export ban in place or even from Paraguay and Bolivia, where FMD remains a serious concern. There was evidence that this was being marketed as 'safe' Brazilian beef, from approved regions.

"When these problems were uncovered, Brazil was offered a way out which would have seen imports to the EU continue, but it seems their priority was to keep the maximum number of farms on the approved list, which has not convinced the European Commission of their genuine safety and high standard.

"Restrictions introduced in the UK after the most recent Foot and Mouth outbreak were severe and appeared to work quickly, but there is simply no point in acting to save EU livestock from British FMD if the disease can sneak into Europe via the back door."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The European Union imported 330,000 tonnes of Brazilian beef last year. Until December 2007 there were more than 6,000 farms in Brazil's registration and identification database that are located in zones approved for export to the EU.

Brazil is the world's largest beef exporter, selling $4billion worth in 2007.

December's restrictions were introduced as result of an inspection visit by EU vets to Brazil the previous month which reportedly turned up a number of deficiencies in controls on identification and movement of cattle.