UK-EU summit: BVA raises NI vet medicine omission worries

The BVA says it remains concerned about the future of access to veterinary medicines by Northern Ireland’s vets following today’s (19 May) UK-EU summit.

While the association welcomed commitments to ensure animal welfare and UK biosecurity – including shared disease surveillance, more targeted animal movement checks and a return of pet passports – its president Elizabeth Mullineaux said there is “still work to do” on the urgent issue.

Prime minister Keir Starmer today hailed a “landmark” deal between the EU and UK, which included wide-ranging agreements on food, fishing, defence and passport checks.

Welcome

For its part, the BVA said it welcomed:

• More targeted checks on the movement of animals, animal products, plants and other products, which it said would lower impact on animal health and welfare and ease veterinary workforce burden.
• A commitment to shared disease surveillance and data sharing, which it said would secure UK biosecurity and risk of imported diseases.
• The introduction of pet passports to replace animal health certificates, which had increased workforce burden.

But it said the lack of clarity on the future movement of vet medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland was worrying, with the post-Brexit grace period due to end at the end of 2025.

‘Right balance’

Dr Mullineaux said: “Today’s announcements coming out of the EU-UK Summit are good news, striking the right balance between reducing trade friction while maintaining the UK’s high standards of animal welfare and disease control.

“However, with no clear direction on the issue of access to veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland, which has serious implications not only for animal health and welfare, but also public health, there is still work to do.

“A permanent resolution to this long-standing question is urgently needed and we will continue to press the Government for solutions to avoid potentially devastating consequences.”

Sir Keir announced a “reset” of relations alongside EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, but while some trade measures were welcomed by, among others, the UK meat industry, extension of fishing rights caused a stir.