The EU has identified significant shortcomings in Uruguay's system for controlling horse meat destined for the EU market (around 3,900 tonnes per year), according to a report by the EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) published on 21 February.
The audit, carried out in Uruguay from 24 April to 4 May 2018, showed that the control system in place was based on legislation that, overall, covers EU requirements, but this legislation does not cover the movement of horses between holdings, “which may have an impact on the reliability of declarations by owners regarding respect for residence and use of veterinary medicinal products”, the report states.
As far as animal welfare is concerned, official controls "do not guarantee compliance with national and EU welfare requirements", EU experts deplore.
The experts noted the presence on the market of veterinary medicinal products containing oestradiol 17 beta esters for other species (cattle). Thus, the experts conclude that “the competent authority cannot reliably certify that the public health requirements for EU markets are met for meat derived from these species”. Finally, the report highlights the lack of on-farm control over the use of veterinary medicinal products in horses. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)