ARGENTINA: Further lifting of foot and mouth restrictions

The EU's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health supported a Commission proposal to further lift the measures still being applied to Argentina because of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The import into the EU of bone-in ovine, caprine and bovine fresh meat from Patagonia (the provinces of Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego and the part of Rio Negro south of the 42nd parallel) will be allowed from animals slaughtered after 1 March 2002. The epidemiological situation of FMD in this area has been clarified by Argentina and the OIE (Office International des Epizooties) has now proposed that those provinces should be granted the status of "FMD free without vaccination". From the other parts of Argentina only import of deboned and maturated fresh bovine meat continues to be authorised.