The EC has banned the export of all live animals from the UK following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth

The European Commission has set out interim protection measures which reinforce those measures taken in the UK in response to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The outbreak occurred on a farm in Surrey on 3 August.

Measures taken following the outbreak include the culling of all animals on the infected holding, the establishment of a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone around the premises, in which stringent movement restrictions apply, and the application of increased biosecurity measures.

The decision adopted by the European Commission today confirms these measures and identifies the whole of Great Britain as a high risk area to which the protection measures detailed below apply.

No live animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs), or products from these animals, can be dispatched from Great Britain. Likewise, other Member States cannot send any such live animals to Great Britain.

Investigation into the source of the virus is still ongoing.