EU Toughens Rules on Imports in Response to PEDv

May 7, 2014 — 

European Union officials on Tuesday agreed on new rules for the treatment of imported pigs’ blood for use in animal feed, but decided against changing the rules on importing live pigs even though a deadly virus has caused major losses to the U.S. pig industry. [Source: Canadian Cattlemen]

In a statement, the European Commission said import rules on live animals were already very strict and the U.S. and Canadian authorities had told them no live pigs were scheduled to be sent to the EU.

But it said an expert committee had introduced a requirement that any blood products to be imported to the EU for use in pig feed must have been treated at 80 F, followed by storage for six weeks at room temperature, which the Commission said would ensure any coronavirus present was inactivated.

It also said the Commission would continue to review the situation and its expert committee would meet again early in June.

France had said it was considering a unilateral ban on imports of pigs and pig byproducts from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Japan. [Related story]

But it later said it would wait until after Tuesday’s meeting in Brussels to take a decision.

A spokeswoman confirmed France would not introduce a separate ban.

– Reporting for Reuters by Barbara Lewis and Sybille de la Hamaide.