The European Commission has criticised countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia which have been banned EU meat imports because of foot-and-mouth disease.
|
|
Mr David Byrne
|
Food and consumer safety commissioner Mr David Byrne said the tough controls introduced in Britain and other member states to tackle the outbreak deserved the confidence of the EU's trading partners and not the cold shoulder.
And he said Brussels would now be fighting back through the World Trade Organisation to get the unwarranted trade blockades lifted as soon as possible.
Mr Byrne was updating MEPs in Strasbourg on the spread and containment of the outbreak and conceding there was a risk of further cases in France and that close monitoring would have to continue.
But the Irish commissioner made it clear he did not think the scale of the disease justified the unilateral shutdown of some key EU export markets.
"The Commission is deeply disappointed that the very firm and decisive action taken to tackle the current outbreak has not received the recognition it deserves.
"Instead of taking reassurance from the firm action, third countries have responded in many cases with restrictions which are both excessive and unnecessary."
He said he was now asking the countries concerned to explain the basis for their actions, adding: "We will of course be explaining the measures already in place which ensure that such restrictions are not necessary.
"And, if necessary, we will make full use of our bilateral contacts and our WTO trade arrangements to have these restrictions lifted."
PA