That this House takes note of European Union Documents No. 13701/11, a draft Directive amending Council Directive 64/432/EEC as regards computer databases which are part of the surveillance networks in the Member States, and No. 8784/12, an amended draft Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No. 1760/2000 as regards electronic identification of bovine animals and deleting the provisions of voluntary beef labelling; and supports the Government’s view that the deletion of the voluntary beef labelling provisions is a sensible reduction in regulatory burdens, but that the Commission’s proposal needs to include a seven year transition period for the introduction of electronic identification as an official means of identification for cattle in order to minimise cost increases and bring in the necessary changes smoothly without risk to current traceability.—(Mr Syms.)

Question agreed to.