EU Lifts Suspension on Horse Exports From South Africa

It is with great satisfaction that I can inform the House that the European Commission decision 2004/262/EC of 17 March 2004 which lead to the suspension of equine exports from South Africa, was repealed in Brussels on Wednesday, 25 October 2006.

In April of this year, two years after the clinical endpoint of the 2004 outbreak of African Horse Sickness (AHS) in Stellenbosch had been reached, the European Commission's Standing Veterinary Committee (SVC) elected to lift the suspension on exports from South Africa. However, the Commission was forced to delay the implementation of that decision following the outbreak of AHS in the Robertson district of the BAR Valley in the Western Cape. Although Robertson is over 100km from the Free Zone and is separated by a significant geographical barrier, the Hottentots Holland mountain range, it forms part of the AHS Controlled Area.

The Western Cape Veterinary Services officially lifted the Robertson quarantine on 14 July and the final report was submitted to the European Commission in September.

The EU suspension has, therefore, been lifted only three months after the clinical end point of the Robertson outbreak which is a major breakthrough for South Africa. This is as a result of the transparency that exists between the South African Veterinary Services and its trading partners and the constructive negotiations that took place with the EU.

The great effort made by the Import Export Working Group, a partnership between the Department of Agriculture (National and Western Cape Province) and Racing South Africa, should be commended. The work of this body has paved the way for fundamental changes to the way in which South Africa is able to negotiate future export protocols with importing countries. Also great appreciation is expressed to owners of horses who adhered to the control measures implemented by the Western Cape veterinary services in an attempt to prevent their animals from contracting the disease.

It is estimated by Racing SA that the cost to South Africa in the 32 month period was R125 million. This excludes the indirect costs with reference to the Cost with the loss of confidence and the loss in market share.