Call for Europe to ban imported beef

THE European Commission must ban the import of beef from foot-and-mouth infected countries in South America if it is serious about public health safety, Ireland East MEP Liam Aylward claimed yesterday.

“Cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been detected in Argentina and Brazil and I am calling on the European Commission to take immediate action to protect European food sources,” he said.

Mr Aylward said the latest case of the disease in Argentina was alarming, and would have to be taken seriously by the EU.