Plaid MEP Jill Evans is joining forces with other MEPs in the European Parliament to amend European Commission plans for compulsory electronic tagging of sheep (EID). The MEPs are launching a cross party campaign in Brussels today (Tuesday) in an attempt to force the European Commission to rethink its plans.

Jill Evans MEP signs the FUW's petition opposing compulsory electronic for tagging for sheep. She is pictured with FUW Vice President Glyn Roberts at the recent Denbighshire and Flintshire Show.

They have put forward a written declaration to the European Parliament (similar to an Early Day Motion at Westminster) for sheep EID to be voluntary and not compulsory and they are asking other MEP's to sign.

Speaking from Brussels ahead of the launch, the Plaid MEP said:

"Farmers are telling me quite clearly that they are totally opposed to this plan for compulsory electronic tagging.

"For the 41% of farms in Wales that are sheep producers, the scheme would be costly to implement and would simply be impractical. The technology used for EID seems to have many flaws; trials have shown difficulties operating the IT system in different weather conditions which would prove particularly more challenging for upland farmers in Wales.

"This scheme is unworkable and unnecessary.

"The Welsh farming unions are also opposed to the scheme and I hope that by getting support from them and other MEP's on this issue we will be able to send a clear message to the Commission."

In the European Parliament a written declaration needs to be signed by a majority of members within three months in order to be recorded in the official minutes as the Parliament's position and communicated to other relevant EU institutions.

Diwedd/End.

NOTES:

Text of written declaration follows:

WRITTEN DECLARATION

pursuant to Rule 116 of the Rules of Procedure

by Alyn Smith, Jill Evans, Mairead McGuinness, James Nicholson and Neil Parish

on the electronic identification system for sheep (EID)

Lapse date: 4.12.2008

0068/2008

Written declaration on the electronic identification system for sheep (EID)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas sheep and goat farming is important to the social, environmental and economic fabric of the EU,

B. whereas the sheep sector is in decline owing to lack of prosperity; whereas the next generation is reluctant to enter sheep production; and whereas, if this is left to continue, the skills base will be lost,

1. Calls on the Commission to recognise that batch recording and movement standstills of sheep are more cost-effective forms of protection from disease spread than EID and individual movement recording;

2. Calls on the Commission to recognise that producer incomes in the sheep sector are characteristically low and that the implementation of EID will result in a significant cost to a sector that can ill afford a further regulatory burden;

3. Calls on the Commission to make sheep EID voluntary but not mandatory;

4. Calls on the Commission to recognise that the implementation of EID and individual recording of sheep will affect the competitiveness of the EU sheep sector on the world market;

5. Calls on the Commission to recognise that there are significant practical problems that prevent the effective operation of EID in extensive livestock systems and within climatic conditions commonly experienced in northern Europe;

6. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council, the Commission and the parliaments and governments of the Member States.