Farmers must wait for final semen/embryo ban decision

10 September 1997

Farmers must wait for final semen/embryo ban decision

The European Unions steering committee on BSE failed to give a conclusive opinion on whether an EU ban on exports of UK bull semen and cattle embryos should be reimposed.

Now the EUs standing veterinary committee will consider the issue. It could propose legislation to the European Commission.

The BSE steering committee said exports of products “could not be
recommended” unless donors could be certified BSE-free. But it stopped short of advising reinstating the ban. This effectively backed the status quo, because the UK exports semen only from bulls which do not have BSE.