EFRA Backs Replacement Of Tripartite Agreement

The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has called on the UK Government to support the British Thoroughbred industry through securing a replacement to the Tripartite Agreement. In a report titled Moving Animals Across Borders, EFRA also called on government to work with the industry on digital solutions to expedite the movement of Thoroughbreds, and to investigate the causes and scale of illegal horse movements. The report, which comes after Thoroughbred industry figures presented evidence to the Select Committee earlier this year, is welcomed by the Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group.

Ross Hamilton, British Horseracing Authority head of public affairs, who provided oral evidence to the committee, said,  “The Thoroughbred Industries Brexit Steering Group welcomes the publication of this important report. We are very grateful to the Select Committee for its careful consideration of the evidence presented by the industry and the clear recommendations for Government, with whom we continue to work closely on improving the arrangements currently in place for Thoroughbred movement.

“The implementation of a high health status for the expedited movement of Thoroughbreds for racing and breeding purposes, utilising the digital solutions such as the Weatherbys' E-Passport already in place in our industry, is an objective which has support across the British and European Thoroughbred sector. It will help support our industry's clear aim to raise animal welfare and health standards further, improve traceability of Thoroughbreds throughout their lives, and help ensure that Britain's world-leading position in the international industry, generating hundreds of millions of pounds in trade annually for the UK economy, can be boosted.”