Countries worldwide have put embargoes on European
livestock, meat and dairy products today in a bid to stop foot and mouth spreading further after it crossed from Britain to France.
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Future of Europe's livestock markets under threat as foot-and-mouth disease continues to spread
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Australia, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United States were among the first to react to news yesterday that the outbreak, first recorded in Britain three weeks ago, had finally spread to continental Europe.
The United States and Canada said they would ban all EU meat imports, a move that a European Commission official criticised as "not proportionate".
Russia, which officials said takes around 45 per cent of EU exports, limited its ban to just nine French departments (regions) bordering the area where the outbreak was detected.
Neighbouring Ukraine banned French meat and animals arriving on or transiting through its territory.
Head of the European Commission's farm affairs unit Mr Gerry Kiely was also critical of the haste with which Europe's allies had imposed their unilateral bans.
"We have a veterinary agreement saying that there should be prior notification and prior consultation," he said.
The US-Canadian move would cost the EU some eur1.65 billion, he said. Australia imposed an immediate ban on all meat, dairy and livestock imports from the EU to protect its local beef and wool industries, quarantine officials said.
In New Zealand, the government announced similar measures would also be taken to protect its key livestock industry.
Japan strengthened measures it had already taken to keep the virus out by banning French imports of meat products.
AFP