Horse passport system overhaul
A radical overhaul of the horse passport system has been agreed at an urgent meeting, following revelations that horse meat has been found in otherwise labelled food products.
Owen Paterson, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), called the meeting to ensure that the rising number of horses slaughtered in the UK for human consumption are fit to eat.
All horses must be issued with a passport under current EU law, which records the administration of any medication they have received. This enables horses to be classified as safe or unsafe to eat and, in particular, prevents a drug called bute from entering the food chain.
However, in light of the recent horse meat crisis, the passport system has evidently been subject to abuse by issuing organisations.
Therefore, an agreement was made to overhaul the current passport system for equine identification, to improve horse traceability and to restrict the unnecessary movement of horses across borders.
Proposed changes include a central database to identify and locate all UK horses, and an amendment to the Tripartite Agreement, which currently allows horses to freely move between the UK, France and Ireland.
In attendance were representatives from the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and various horse welfare charities.
"We are very encouraged that Defra have recognised the inherent weaknesses of the current passport system and by their open-minded approach to exploring practical solutions," said Jeanette Allen, of the Equine Sector Council for Health and Welfare.
"We need to seize this moment to implement radical changes to the whole system of equine identification in the UK that is both proportionate and easy to enforce."
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
