The UK has been accused of double standards by taking strong measures to protect farming in Britain from a Foot and Mouth outbreak in Germany - but leaving Northern Ireland apparently fully exposed.

Unionist parties have said the Northern Ireland Protocol and its successor, the Windsor Framework, are to blame for Northern Ireland being left out of the protective measures taken in Great Britain.

On Tuesday the UK government announced it was introducing a ban on pigs, cattle and sheep imports into GB from Germany after a case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed in the country.

Ministers announced that health certificates - which approve import requirements for animals, fresh meat and animal products - will no longer be issued to those susceptible to the disease.

placeholder image — Spring lambs at Netown Crumlin in the Glens of Antrim which faced certain slaughter as they were in the third area affected by foot-and-mouth disease in 2001. Photo: PA.

The disease causes blisters and fever among livestock but is not harmful to humans. The UK suffered major outbreaks in 2001 and 2007, leading to millions of pigs, cattle and sheep being slaughtered.

After Brexit, pressure from the Republic of Ireland and EU resulted in NI being retained within the EU single market, under the Northern Ireland Protocol and its successor, the Windsor Framework.

As a result, NI remains subject to some 300 EU laws, resulting in what is described as the Irish Sea Border.

UUP Peer Lord Elliott said the decision to ban the import of livestock from Germany to GB – but not into NI – highlights “the negative aspect of the Windsor Framework along with the difficulties and dangers that it poses for Northern Ireland farmers and economy”.

He added: “The community of Northern Ireland deserve protection from such potential dangers. It is vital that the UK government recognise such dangers and act to equally protect Northern Ireland in the same fashion as the rest of the United Kingdom.”

Lord Elliott released a statement today after meeting with UK Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Minister, Baroness Hayman of Ullock, partly about German Foot and Mouth.

“The Minister said that the EU had imposed their own restrictions on goods movement from Germany which included NI, but they were restricted to movement from the immediate region where the disease was found, as opposed to GB ban for all of Germany.

“This continues to demonstrate the different position that NI finds itself in compared to the rest of the UK, we emphasised the severe difficulties for Northern Ireland in general from such arrangements.”

TUV leader Jim Allister said the situation was "yet another illustration of NI’s ostracisation from the UK and its laws”.

He added: “The British Government has properly banned animal imports from Germany because foot and mouth disease has been confirmed there.

"Yet, Northern Ireland is excluded from the operation of this ban. This is because we are subject, not to UK laws, but EU laws and they continue to allow imports across the EU, including NI, provided they are from outside the immediately affected area of Germany.

“This further example of NI being subject to EU colonial law is, of course, precisely what MLAs voted for before Christmas. Well done Protocol Implementers!”

The DUP’s Westminster agriculture, environment and rural affairs spokesperson Carla Lockhart MP accused the UK government of "double standards".

“For almost four years we have been cut-off from the rest of the United Kingdom, thanks to an EU-enforced de-facto border in the Irish Sea.

"The EU Parliament in Brussels is a foreign jurisdiction which legislates on over 300 areas of law impacting our economy and agri-food sector. These nonsensical EU rules are causing unresolved issues on the movement animals, plants and goods on a daily basis.” She also urged livestock farmers to consider the risks before importing animals from mainland Europe.

On Tuesday Stormont Minister of Agriculture Andrew Muir, called on livestock owners in NI to remain vigilant.

He said that strict controls are in place prohibiting the import of animals and animal products from FMD affected countries and that there has been no movement of susceptible species into Northern Ireland from Germany since 1 December 2024.

The News Letter has invited DAERA, the UFU, NIO, the Foreign Office and DEFRA to comment.