Mr President, it is worth putting on record that the only positive aspect of this terrible disease is that is does not affect humans. There is no consumer risk. When the crisis is over – and it is a crisis in the UK, there is no other way to describe it – we will have to review the common agricultural policy and the whole single market to assess calmly whether we have, as an economic community, sacrificed our animal health status at the high altar of trade liberalisation. Foot-and-mouth disease was never just a UK issue and the outbreak in France tragically underlines this, if we needed reminding. While the spread of this virulent disease has raised legitimate questions about how the UK authorities are handling it, I would like to dissociate myself and my colleagues from the intemperate and highly inappropriate comments made by certain junior ministers in the Irish Government. Notwithstanding bans on imports of animals and animal products and limited transport bans, Commissioner, I must say that the reaction of the EU collectively appears to be inadequate and slow. Are you satisfied with the veterinary capability to handle this crisis, particularly in the United Kingdom? Are you satisfied that the Standing Veterinary Council is up to the job? I am not questioning their individual capabilities, but do their brief and terms of reference now appear adequate in the face of rampant foot-and-mouth disease? Could the Commissioner explain to the House why there is such a difference in the veterinary responses of the UK and Ireland? Certainly each Member State is responsible in the first instance for its own animal health, but it is clear to me and my colleagues from other Member States that there is no coordinated or consistent veterinary response. In the UK racing, football matches, conferences continue, despite the fact that there have been well over 200 outbreaks and I have heard of another 28 today. In the Republic of Ireland, where we have no outbreak, all non-essential gatherings in rural areas have been stopped. We have brought the Irish community to a standstill. There is no coordinated logistical policy on movements of animals and most importantly movements of people to and from infected areas and countries through ports and airports. Standards and requirements differ drastically and we urgently need an EU approach to that. The EU reaction has been inadequate and slow. The disease is out of control in Britain and has now spread to continental Europe. I am amazed that there has been no emergency meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers to date and no coordinated response from any of our executive authorities. I have just listened to the UK National Farmers' Union address the meeting of our Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and I thank them for attending. They have explained the situation in England. I do not support vaccination, tragic as the problem is, since foot-and-mouth disease is not endemic in the EU. Vaccination is not a 100% guarantee and there are many different strains, each requiring a different vaccination. Commissioner, it is your job to convince Member States that all airports, seaports and other entry and exit points in infected areas must be controlled and passengers and vehicles must go through a proper disinfectant routine. It is time we got our act together and lessons should be learned from the BSE crisis. We need more details from Argentina. Despite denials of an outbreak of the last few weeks they have now confirmed that there is one. I do not think we have all the facts yet, from there or from other countries. (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE