19 Dec 2022
BVA and others were concerned more than half of all medicines currently available in Northern Ireland would have been discontinued from 1 January.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
BVA president Malcolm Morley welcomed the three-year extension. Main image © mbruxelle / Adobe Stock
A threat to the unrestricted supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland has been averted today (19 December) by an 11th hour announcement from the European Commission.
The post-Brexit grace period that allowed veterinary medicines to enter Northern Ireland without checks was due to expire at the end of this month, but it has now been extended to December 2025.
The European Commission said it had listened to concerns from stakeholders about the potential impact on animal health and welfare, food safety and public health, and that the decision meant citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland will continue to be able to buy veterinary medical products from inside the UK.
Changes were pending as part of the latest implementation of the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, which aims to prevent a hard border between the province and the Republic of Ireland, but requires more checks and restrictions on goods leaving Great Britain for Northern Ireland.
In October, BVA president Malcolm Morley called on UK and EU leaders to work together to avert an animal welfare “disaster” if nearly half of all vet medicine supplies were effectively halted overnight.
He said all vet sectors would be affected and, in particular, cited lack of availability of Salmonella vaccines for poultry vets.
On today’s announcement, Dr Morley said: “We are delighted that Northern Ireland is set to retain access to essential veterinary medicines from 1 January 2023. More than half of all veterinary medicines were at risk of being discontinued, with significant implications for both animal health and welfare and human health.
“At the BVA, we’ve been pressing the UK Government and the EU Commission to find a workable solution to this issue. The extension of the grace period is extremely positive and we welcome a solution that provides ample time to adapt for future compliance.
“Our thanks go to our BVA NI branch officers, who all worked incredibly hard to help secure a positive resolution to this serious issue. We look forward to working further with all stakeholders to ensure the supply of essential veterinary medicines is maintained not just now, but for the future.”
Dawn Howard, NOAH chief executive, said: “This extension will alleviate immediate difficulties due to loss of products; it is most welcome, and is a testament to the veterinary, farming and animal welfare sectors working together to highlight our concerns.
“Nevertheless, the need for a longer-term, sustainable solution is still vital to give UK animal health businesses the certainty they need to secure veterinary medicines supply into the future. We are looking forward to continuing urgent dialogue between the UK and the EU, to develop a workable long-term negotiated solution, and remain very happy to offer our support and expertise.”
In a statement on its website, European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič said he hoped the consensus achieved on supply of vet medicines from Great Britain – which he said would also apply to Cyprus, Ireland and Malta, as well as to Northern Ireland – could be achieved in other areas of the protocol.
Mr Šefčovič said: “Brexit has meant that EU rules in this area no longer apply in the UK. But under the protocol, those EU rules continue to apply in Northern Ireland. This avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland – an objective shared by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
“We have listened carefully to the concerns raised by stakeholders – particularly those in Northern Ireland. We understand those concerns. And that is why we are acting today.”
Mr Šefčovič added: “By extending the current arrangements to December 2025, we are giving ample time to adapt. This is a practical solution to a practical problem. And it underlines our genuine commitment to engaging constructively with the UK to find agreed solutions around the protocol.
“I therefore hope that we can carry today’s positive announcement into other areas of our discussion. I am convinced that there is a window of opportunity for a positive outcome, for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland. My team and I will continue working around the clock to that end.”
In a statement on the GOV.UK website, a spokesperson for the VMD said: “We welcome this extension to the veterinary medicine grace period from the commission and are looking forward to further discussions on veterinary medicines in the new year. We will continue to work for a long-term, sustainable solution to the supply of veterinary medicines.”
