EU Bans British Meat, Livestock, Milk Products

BRUSSELS — The European Commission has announced a formal EU-wide ban on British meat and livestock following the outbreak in the UK of foot and mouth disease.

The ban covers fresh meat as well as live cattle, pigs, sheep and goats and milk products from Great Britain excluding Northern Ireland, said Philip Tod, spokesman for EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, earlier today.

In Cyprus, Kyprianou told reporters: “The European Commission regards the issue as an isolated incident as it appears that the virus did not occur naturally, but was a leak from a specific vaccine-processing institute, and has not spread.

“We do not see any danger for the rest of Europe,' Kyprianou said, adding: “Measures being enforced against the spread of the disease are satisfactory (within Europe).”

Investigations into the source of the outbreak on a farm south of London are focusing on the nearby Pirbright site, which houses the government-backed Institute for Animal Health (IAH) and the private laboratory of Merial Animal Health Ltd.

Both have denied any breach of bio-security on their part.

Read the full Thomson Financial story here.