Background
European veterinary chiefs have extended the export ban on all British livestock, meat and milk products until 9 March when the veterinary panel will meet to consider it again. The decision was made after the Standing Veterinary Committee was briefed by British Agriculture Minister Nick Brown on the current situation in the United Kingdom on 27 February. The Commission had imposed a ban until March 1 as a precautionary measure after foot-and-mouth was discovered in Britain on 21 February.
No cases of the infectious disease have yet been reported on Continental Europe. Those Member States that have imported animals from the United Kingdom in the last few weeks have taken unilateral action to protect their farming industry.
