EU ombudsman critical of EC for failure to ban Brazilian beef

THE EU’s public service watchdog has criticised the European Commission over its delay in banning beef imports into the EU from Brazil, despite having evidence that it posed a risk.

The EU ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, has partially upheld a complaint by farming organisations in Ireland and Britain that the Commission failed to act reasonably and proportionately to deal with the threat to both public and animal health by Brazilian beef imports.

The complaint was made by Fairness for Farmers in Europe — an umbrella group of 30 farming groups, including the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association and the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association.