UK Lifts Ban on German Meat and Dairy Imports Following FMD Outbreak

The United Kingdom has officially lifted a ban on the importation of meat and dairy products from Germany. This restriction was initially imposed after the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in January, affecting cattle, pigs, sheep, deer, and buffaloes, along with their products. The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that the import ban would be amended from March 24.

While China and Malaysia have already lifted their bans on German dairy products earlier in March, other nations such as South Korea and Ireland have not made public decisions on their trade restrictions. The German case of FMD, identified in Brandenburg near Berlin, was the first since 1988. Containment measures were swiftly implemented, and Germany's FMD-free status has been reinstated by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) for most of the country, except for a specified containment zone.

Defra stated that the decision to lift the ban followed a rigorous technical assessment of Germany's disease control measures. Exports can resume from areas outside the containment zone, provided other import criteria are met. However, restrictions remain in place for personal imports of certain meat and dairy products. Ireland still retains its ban on German meat imports and has applied the same to Hungary and Slovakia due to FMD outbreaks reported in March.

The continuation and adjustments of these bans have been shaped by the detection of FMD in Hungary and Slovakia and aim to prevent the disease from spreading, as highlighted by both Irish and UK agricultural departments.