16 May 2025
Industry bosses and a prominent vet have demanded a resolution at next week’s EU-UK summit in London.
Allister Webb
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Image: © Thaut Images / Adobe Stock
UK and European industry bosses have urged political leaders to “make the right decision” and complete a veterinary medicines agreement at next week’s EU-UK summit.
Senior officials from NOAH and AnimalhealthEurope have joined forces to call for the issue to be prioritised at the talks in London.
The plea has also been echoed by a vet and MP who warned the price of failing to act was “simply too high”.
Calls for action have intensified ahead of the meeting, with NOAH officials seeking collective lobbying from the sector at large.
In a joint statement, NOAH chief executive Dawn Howard said an agreement was “achievable and urgently needed”, pledging both her organisation and AnimalHealthEurope were ready to support work to secure it.
She continued: “This moment is a great opportunity. The UK and the EU have the chance to show leadership in animal health and welfare, economic co-operation, and one health.”
AnimalhealthEurope secretary general Roxane Feller added: “Unlike politics, disease knows no borders. Guaranteed access to veterinary medicines is fundamental to safeguarding animal health and welfare, ensuring food security, and protecting public health.
“We sincerely hope that leaders will now make the right decision and establish a veterinary medicines agreement between the EU and UK.”
Following Labour’s pre-election pledge on the issue, ministers have repeatedly insisted they recognise the importance of securing a deal.
But, writing on the politics.co.uk website, vet and Liberal Democrat MP Danny Chambers argued that a failure to act and enable the protection of food production systems would be “short-sighted and irresponsible”.
He added: “We have the evidence. We have the industry alignment. What we need now is political leadership. The cost of doing nothing is simply too high.”
Writing in Vet Times (13 May issue), Donal Murphy, deputy chief executive and head of international and regulatory affairs at NOAH, said Sunday’s summit offered “a crucial opportunity to restart a programme of regulatory cooperation”.
