An attempt by the Danish government to end the use of EU export refunds for the sale of live cattle outside the EU was defeated by Irish and other farm ministers at the Council of Ministers in Luxembourg yesterday.
Denmark had raised the issue, having viewed a Compassion in World Farming video which featured the loading and transport of Irish cattle to the Lebanon last year.
The video featured footage of EU cattle being slaughtered in a Beirut slaughterhouse and brought condemnation of the trade from some MEPs.
When the issue was raised by Denmark at yesterday's farm council meeting, opposition to removing the refunds, which would have effectively ended the live trade from Ireland to non-EU countries, was led by Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan.
Ireland was supported by France, Spain Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic when she defended the trade from Ireland.
The Danish call for a discontinuation of the refunds was supported by Sweden, Germany, UK, the Netherlands and Austria. The commission reported it was not in favour of removing refunds at the present time.
The Minister had told her colleagues that she wanted the strongest official controls and safeguards for animals. She pointed out that "export refunds are paid on live exports only if full compliance with EU animal welfare standards have been observed".