Last week the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV), at which BMPA represents the UK meat industry, published a contribution to a call for evidence on the EU Livestock Strategy.

As the UK looks to forge closer trading ties with the EU via a new SPS agreement, it’s instructive to see what our European counterparts are calling on the Commission to consider. You’ll notice several common themes on which the UK meat and livestock sector has been advocating with our government.

The overarching premise is that “livestock production must be recognised as a strategic asset”. It reports that “several Member States indicate a decline in livestock numbers and farm closures, driven by regulatory uncertainty and economic pressure.”

With that in mind one of the key messages UECBV is sending is that “policies must support investment, innovation and fair remuneration avoiding measures that risk accelerating production decline,” something we are struggling with here in the UK. It says that “policies that lead to structural decline without viable alternatives risk increasing dependency on imports.”

The submission highlights the importance of a system of financial support (the CAP) that promotes income stability, innovation and sustainability “with better integration of livestock systems”.

Like us, UECBV are also cautioning that “animal welfare progress must be realistic and supported. Improvements should be based on science, economic feasibility, and gradual transition.”

You can download the full UECBV submission here.