EU ministers meet on foot-and-mouth
26 February 2001
EU ministers meet on foot-and-mouth
By FWi staff
AGRICULTURE ministers are due to meet in Brussels where they will discuss measures to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth across Europe.
UK agriculture minister Nick Brown is expected to join his EU counterparts after addressing MPs in the House of Commons on Monday (26 February).
Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium have already taken some steps to reduce the risk of foot-and-mouth disease.
Germany and the Netherlands are in the process of slaughtering thousands of animals imported from the UK over the past few weeks.
Livestock markets have been banned for a week in Belgium and the Netherlands. France is checking animals bought from Britain in the past month.
The issue of foot-and-mouth is likely to overshadow the Brussels meeting, at which ministers are also due to discuss measures to control BSE.
Ministers are expected to debate a seven-point plan put forward by European farm commissioner Franz Fischler to tackle the collapse of the beef market.
The plan includes a new system of quotas for beef premiums, a return of the 90-head limit and a minimum of 20% heifers to be included in suckler claims.
The commission has argued that the controversial proposals are necessary to restore producer incomes and improve public confidence.
But British farmers are opposed to the two-week-old plans, claiming they will have a devastating impact on UK beef production.