Scottish Government must match funding for EID scheme - Lyon

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 15th Oct 2009

George Lyon, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland, has challenged the Scottish Government to match the level of commitment shown by other regional Governments across the European Union in helping farmers implement electronic tagging of sheep (EID).

In answer to a Parliamentary question, Mr Lyon has learned two regions in Italy are planning to spend €20.92million on implementing EID. The story is the same in other European countries with Extremadura in Spain spending €2.6million, €20.3million being spent in France and Greece have already spent €7milion under the previous RDP scheme.

The European Commission has also confirmed that Member States are allowed to spend up to €7,500 per farmer without them falling foul of state aid rules.

Commenting, Mr Lyon said:

"Regional Governments across Europe are providing substantial financial assistance to their sheep farmers to set up EID. It is only right that Scottish farmers and crofters receive the same level of assistance to enable them to compete on a level playing field with other European sheep producers.

"It would be unfair, not to mention damaging for the industry, if our competitors receive Government support and our farmers do not.

"When I met with the EU Agriculture Commission in September, she assured me that SRDP funds could be used to help implement EID.

"The Scottish Government holds the purse strings. We are now playing catch up with our European competitors; they must get on and do it."

Jim McLaren, President of NFU Scotland, added:

"As we've said, Scottish Government support is going to be critical. We've already seen their investment in the EID pilot which was important.

"However, top of the priority list now is a government funded, central database. That will remove a real proportion of the recording and cost burden from individual farms. Without that, the concessions the Scottish industry, politicians and Government have won will be hugely undermined.

"The information secured by George Lyon is both helpful and important.

"It gives a much clearer picture of what is happening elsewhere and we need that taken forward in Scotland. The Commission have reminded us in meetings with them again today of the eligibility of rural development funds for EID implementation on the ground. We need that explored in Scotland with urgency."