Northern Ireland

Dairy Council welcomes extension of 'grace period' for vet medicines

Dr Mike Johnston, CEO of NI Dairy Council.
Dr Mike Johnston, CEO of NI Dairy Council. Dr Mike Johnston, CEO of NI Dairy Council.

A decision by the European Union Commission to extend for three years a “grace period” for veterinary medicine was welcomed by the Dairy Council.

The council’s chief executive, Dr Mike Johnston said he hoped the extension is a step towards a wider agreement between the UK and EU on the NI Protocol.

Dr Johnston congratulated the UK and EU “for recognising the problem and extending the grace period”.

“However, this is only a temporary fix that gives both UK and EU some space to agree the future operation of the Protocol,” he said.

“We are being told by politicians that there is a more positive approach to agreeing solutions for issues around the Protocol, and hopefully this decision is a step towards this wider agreement.”

Up to 51% of medicines supplied to the north were at risk of being discontinued from 1 January 2023 when new EU rules were due to come into effect, the council said.

“The consequences of this would have been severe for farmers and their livestock,” Dr Johnston said.

EU commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said extending the grace period to the end of December 2025 was "a practical solution to a practical problem" and would allow "ample time to adapt".

The UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the announcement brings greater clarity to the veterinary industry in Northern Ireland.