British authorities are to lift protection zones around two farms at the centre of the foot-and-mouth outbreak at noon today.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) lifted the movement ban on livestock outside the surveillance zone from midnight.
As a precaution, animals will have to remain on the premises they are moved to for 20 days, unless the further movement is within eight kilometres or direct to slaughter.
The ban on animal markets and shows will remain, although the immediate three-kilometre protection zone around the two Surrey farms where infected cattle were found will be lifted from noon.
The European Union ban on exports of British livestock, meat and dairy products imposed after the foot-and-mouth outbreak will be lifted from tomorrow but will continue in the 10 kilometre surveillance zone around the farms in Surrey where the outbreak occurred.
However, Chief Vet Debby Reynolds has imposed a five-kilometre temporary biosecurity area around the two animal health research laboratories at Pirbright, three miles from the first farm, which are at the centre of the investigation into the cause of the outbreak.