EU rejects call for live-export ban

19 March 1998

EU rejects call for live-export ban

By FWi staff

THE European Court of Justice today ruled that a UK ban on live calf exports would be illegal.

Animal rights campaigners had hoped the court would rule that a ban on the export of calves to be reared in veal crates could be introduced. But the court decided that any such ban would infringe EU single-market rules and therefore be illegal.

Campaigners from Compassion in World Farming brought the case after the previous Government said it was unable to ban the annual export of more than 500,000 calves sold to the Continent.

The controversial practice was halted anyway by the beef export ban imposed on Britain by the EU two years ago. But live exports are is likely to resume once the beef ban is lifted.