A MAJOR plan prepared by Irish MEP Liam Aylward to reform the EU sheep sector has made 10 recommendations, including the setting up of a special taskforce to save the industry.
The report, described by the MEP as the blueprint for the future of the European sheep sector, was drawn up for the European Parliament, which will vote on it next month following a debate.
He said a new EU implementation taskforce, comprised of members from the European Commission and the presidency in Council, should be established. This taskforce would oversee the practical reforms needed to make the European sheep sector viable, competitive and profitable.
One of the main recommendations is that national governments be allowed pay farmers a sheep maintenance payment based on breeding ewes on environmental grounds, a payment similar to that received by cattle farmers on welfare grounds.
The report also recommends that EU sheepmeat be labelled as such to help consumers determine what they are buying, and this labelling should be backed up by quality assurance schemes.
It also recommended that the commission and the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers must review the introduction of the compulsory electronic identification system for sheep intended for introduction by end of December 2009.
"Due to the difficulty in implementation, high costs and unproven benefits, each EU member state must be allowed the discretion to decide whether to introduce electronic tagging on a voluntary basis."
The report also urges the commission to ringfence funding for lamb in the annual EU food promotion budget.