European Commission will not budge over sheep tagging move

Jun 26 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

FARMING organisations say they are disappointed by the reaction to Britain’s efforts to seek concessions on individual electronic sheep tagging (EID) at this week’s Council of Agriculture Ministers held in Luxembourg.

There had been high hopes of widespread support for Defra minister Hilary Benn’s efforts to make changes to the controversial regulations, which are due to be imposed Europe-wide from January.

Mr Benn raised the issue as part of any other business at the meeting. He had previously written to all of his counterparts across the EU asking for their support to reopen the regulation to make changes. He wanted to alter the rules so that sheep did not need to be identified until they left their holding of birth.

But despite backing from some ministers, including his counterparts in Ireland and Germany, there was insufficient support to change the Commission’s mind and it remained opposed to the suggested changes.

National Sheep Association chief executive Peter Morris said “This is disappointing news as concessions such as the one being sought by Mr Benn would make a significant difference to the ability of sheep farmers throughout the UK to operate their businesses should these new rules be introduced next year.

“NSA is supporting other concessions which are still in the negotiating stage at the Commission so pressure must continue to secure these.”

He said that opposition to EID was growing as agriculture ministers across Europe began to absorb the full implications of the regulations, which have been widely condemned by farming organisations in the UK.

Britain has the highest number of sheep in Europe and is likely to be more deeply affected by EID that other EU member states where average flock sizes are much smaller.

Mr Morris said there was a long way to go before the Commission was put “on the back foot” over the issue. But he vowed to continue to oppose it.

He said: “NSA remains undaunted in all its efforts to fight this regulation; however you look at it there is no justification for it being introduced as it will achieve nothing to help disease control. When there is a clear injustice such as this then the objections can never stop even if the regulation is foisted upon sheep farmers.”

The subject was also highlighted in a demonstration held before the ministers’ meeting. Organised by European farming union COPA, the action also aimed to raise the profile of the crisis in the dairy industry where farmers are suffering because of falling milk prices.

See tomorrow’s Journal for more on EID.