Mr David Byrne, Ireland’s EU health commissioner, said today Europe could not afford a repeat of the recent foot and mouth outbreak and would have to consider different ways of combating the disease, such as vaccinating animals.
"The current outbreak now appears to have been eradicated...However, this does not allow us to close the book on the crisis. Its impact will live with us for a long time," Mr Byrne told a conference on the prevention and control of foot and mouth.
Mr Byrne said future policy should be more responsive as expansion took EU borders closer to countries where the disease was endemic, and import controls would have to be tighter.
"Europe should also invest in veterinarians and officials to check herds," he said in what was a veiled criticism of Britain, where a shortage of qualified inspectors aided the spread of the disease.
"Our future strategy will have to be even more responsive. How will we adapt to enlargement, including to candidate countries ever closer to regions where foot and mouth disease is endemic?" Mr Byrne said.
Mr Byrne said more research was needed to determine whether to use a foot and mouth vaccination - a policy rejected in Britain and Ireland after farmers refused to allow the loss of the disease-free status which opens the doors to export markets.