FMD Update - 4th September 07

Steps to regaining FMD free-status

This information note sets out the steps and timetable for international recognition that the UK has regained its FMD free status. Its purpose is to confirm and clarify for all stakeholders what are the key dates and the changes that will be made on those dates. Some dates are necessarily our best estimate and we will notify you if there are any changes to those dates.

Changes to national restrictions.

It is our intention that the remaining additional domestic restrictions (ie those not required under European or international rules) put in place outside the Surveillance Zone (SZ) will be removed on the day that the Surveillance Zone in Surrey is lifted.   These restrictions are:

• 20-day standstill
• A more restrictive requirement for movements within Single Occupancy Authority (SOA) in England and Wales
• Suspension of the Separation Arrangements that normally apply in Scotland
• Additional  requirements for livestock (green) markets and shows

On the day the SZ is lifted – to be confirmed by News Release on the actual day - the legislation and/or licences giving effect to the restrictions mentioned above will be amended or revoked across GB from not later than 23.59 hrs the same day.

This will mean that livestock -  except pigs -  moved since the national ban was imposed at 9.30 pm on 3 August and before the SZ is lifted will not need to serve out any 20-day standstill period. However animals moved onto holdings within the previous 6-days of the SZ being lifted in England and Wales  or 13 days in Scotland mean no movement off except for slaughter until the normal standstill period has been completed.

The Scottish Separation arrangements will also be resumed when the 20-day standstill rules are lifted, and in England and Wales  movements within a SOA during a standstill period will also be permitted and will not trigger the stand-still period.  Moreover, other rules that operated before 3 August relating to movements permitted during a standstill period or which do not trigger the standstill will be reinstated at the same time.

Pig movements normally trigger a 20-day standstill: therefore they were unaffected by the introduction of the 20-day standstill period for other livestock species.

Date for lifting the SZ.

Under normal European rules we can not lift the SZ until certain actions have been completed:

• 30 days have elapsed since preliminary cleansing and disinfection of the last Infected Premise (IP) has been completed. Therefore the earliest date is 8 September.
• We have recent evidence suggesting that there is no residual infection in the zone. This is provided through clinical inspection of cattle and pigs, and the results of blood tests taken from a statistically significant number of sheep and goats in the SZ. This blood sampling could not commence until 21 days had elapsed since the last  IP was cleansed and disinfected (30 August). Every effort is being made to complete this work before 8 September but it is not unusual to have to re-do some laboratory testing which is why we cannot be precise about the end date.

Changes to European based restrictions.

The European Decision adopted on 23 August removed restrictions on the dispatch of live animals from outside the SZ and meat and meat products to other Member States subject to additional certification requirements. Restrictions relating to animals within the SZ remain in force until the Decision lapses or is revoked, as do the extra requirements for veterinary certification. The Decision lapses on 15 September. There is a possibility it might be revoked earlier but this will not be before the SZ is lifted nor before the next meeting of the Standing Committee for Food Chain and Animal Health which will not be before 11 September .

Regaining international recognition that the UK is free from FMD.

The earliest date for the UK to regain internationally-recognised FMD-free status is 7 November, three months after the last case and vaccination not used as a control strategy. Restrictions on direct exports of livestock from the former Surveillance Zone  will  remain in place until this status has been regained. We will keep exporters informed of the position.

Information.

For the latest information on the foot and mouth outbreak visit www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth

For advice on export requirements visit www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/food-meat/export.htm