To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has made to his EU counterparts on the EU's proposed movement of testing for TB on all cattle that are over six months from their previous test date.
Answered on
11 July 2019
A new EU Animal Health Regulation containing rules relevant to bovine TB control is due to come into force from 2021. Government officials have participated in expert group discussions on the so called delegated acts which will lay down the detailed rules. The UK devolved administrations have been fully involved in briefing for those meetings, including on the provisions for movement testing. Written representations have also been submitted to the European Commission. Ultimately, since these texts are delegated acts, final decisions on the detailed rules will be a matter for the European Commission, which has also conducted public consultation via its Have Your Say web service.