Ostersund, 10/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The EU Farm Ministers, meeting Tuesday in an informal Council session in Ostersund, Sweden, expressed hostility at the immediate introduction of systematic foot and mouth vaccination of cattle. Vaccination was dropped ten years ago for economic and hygiene reasons. However, the Netherlands, breaking from the pack, and France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal, Italy, the UK and the European Commission spoke in one voice in favour of a re-assessment, once the current crisis is over, the reasons behind the non-vaccination policy should be assessed so as to take account of new scientific data, such as the forthcoming availability of tracer vaccines and changes in market structures and in public opinion. It is only after such an evaluation that the question of changing the current strategy can be taken up calmly. Opposition to any change was expressed by Finland, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden.
European public opinion reacted very badly to the images of carcasses being incinerated, the French minister Jean Glavany pointed out. France asked that the European Commission take into account the recent recommendations from the FAO before submitting proposals to the member states, in particular on the use of swill in animal feed, the destruction of food waste from passenger planes and ships and the identification and the traceability of goats and sheep, which is far from achieved in Europe.
There is a will to change the non-vaccination policy after the crisis, according to the German Farm Minister, Renate Künast, adding that such changes must include a strengthening of the rules on the transport of animals over long distances. She also pointed out that she would be asking the Commission for permission to vaccinate German cattle along the Dutch border.
Commissioner David Byrne confirmed that the Commission was in the process of reflecting on an EU position on generalized vaccination after the crisis, but that the policy should not be altered in the midst of a crisis. The option upheld by the Commission is to eradicate the disease via slaughter and destruction. That is the policy being pursued in France and Ireland. He added that however painful this option may be, I firmly believe that the policy has shown itself to be effective. He noted that the Commission had accepted that in some countries and under certain circumstances, emergency vaccination can be done, such as the suppressive vaccination in the Netherlands, when slaughter and destruction capacity has been exhausted, or protective vaccination, for cattle that has not been slaughtered in the UK and in the Netherlands as well. Mr Byrne added that If the meat from vaccinated animals is marketed, the consumers should be informed of that. He pointed out that this important issue had been raised by a number of countries.
Commissioner Byrne estimated the current cost of the crisis to the EU budget to be EUR 250 million.