The unique, lifetime, individual identification of bovine animals is an essential element of the work to control and eradicate Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The requirement for bovines to have an officially approved tag in each ear bearing identical official identification numbers (“double-tagging”) has been directly applicable Community law since 1 January 1998. Double-tagging was chosen to give surer guarantees that an animal’s identity remains secure throughout its life. There are no immediate plans to alter this.
Member states are required to inspect annually 10 per cent. of the cattle holdings in their territory for compliance with bovine identification and registration rules, and to report the result to the EU Commission by 31 August. The inspections must be unannounced and cover all animals present on the holding. Holdings must be selected by risk analysis. This inspection regime has been operating since 1998. In England, Rural Payments Agency inspectors inspect around 5,000 farms each year, checking each animal’s tags, cattle passport, and records. Copies of the annual report can be seen on the animal identification section of DEFRA’s website. Last year, around 1.5 per cent. of the animals inspected in Britain did not fully comply with the tagging rules. This rate of compliance is good and has been consistently so since 2000.
I consider the monitoring of double-tagging to be effective. Our systems were considered sufficiently robust for the EU Commission to lift the ten-year beef and cattle export ban in 2006. I have received no representations on their effectiveness.