Brussels, 18/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 17 December, a qualified majority of the Agriculture Council adopted a regulation delaying the date of “introduction of electronic identification for ovine and caprine animals” by two years till 31 December 2009. Spain and Italy voted against the regulation which, by way of the 2004 decisions, was due to take effect on 1 January 2008.
In a declaration, Spain and Italy state they are “displeased” with the regulation endorsed as, in order to be ready in time in the very best conditions (electronic tagging from 2008), these countries have invested “considerable” financial and human resources. The Italian and Spanish delegations consider it “difficult to accept” the reasons put forward to justify the technical and economic problems that hamper implementation of this electronic identification in early 2008, all the more as the deferral proposed does not seem to resolve such problems. The British delegation, supported by the German, Irish and Slovakian delegations, states, on the other hand, that it is in favour of delaying the introduction of compulsory electronic identification of sheep and goats. (L.C.)