Potentially Deadly 'Safety' Proposal For Electric Fences Should Go To WTO Members For Consultation
A proposed change to safety standards for electric fences in the European Union should be notified to the World Trade Organisation.
The change, being promoted by a French and a German electric fence manufacturer, is widely seen as a guise to introduce a new technical barrier to trade. The International Electrotechnical Commission, meeting in Sydney in November 2004, voted down the proposed standard as unnecessary.
New Zealand electric fence makers, Gallagher and Tru-Test, which have a substantial presence in the European market, said today the New Zealand Government has advised the European Commission that there is good justification for the proposed revision to be notified to the WTO under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
The EC has been advised that moves, to put the proposed standard to individual votes of European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation
(CENELEC) committees in 28 countries during the next few months will not provide adequate opportunity for affected parties, including other countries, to comment.
Gallagher Group's CEO, Bill Gallagher, says CENELEC officials might be wise to consult their own farmers and WTO member countries before making any decision to change the standard.
By notifying the proposed change through the WTO potentially affected countries will have an opportunity to make their official positions known.
The committees, some including representatives of the French and German manufacturers orchestrating the back door attempt for a trade restriction, should also be seeking the views of farmers, many of whom face quadrupled costs if the change goes ahead.
"So far farmers views have been ignored. The CENELEC committees need to be presented with a balanced risk assessment. Those seeking a change to the standard are not revealing that more people could die as a result."
Gallagher says compelling and convincing evidence was put before the international commission showing lower fence energy levels would result in more stock wandering onto roads - and a rise in death rates.
Gallagher says during 2002 in Germany alone there were nine deaths and 308 serious injuries caused by traffic accidents with non-feral livestock on roads. There have been no deaths caused directly by electric fences recorded in Germany in the past 10 years.
Gallagher says 9-joule energizers were introduced 26 years ago and more than 300,000 are installed around the world. Ten years ago a 26-joule energizer was introduced and more than 26,000 are in service. Almost one third of these are in use in Europe.
"These ultra high powered energizers have a perfect safety record.
"The advocates of this 'safety' change could well cause a significant increase in road deaths and injuries across Europe if they succeed. I doubt that's an outcome CENELEC will support when electric fence death rates are extremely low, and due to factors other than the strength of the current," Gallagher says.
"And the thought of a measure being considered - without first consulting those who will be most affected - is astounding. Like the international standards commission, I think CENELEC will dump this proposal as soon as it thoroughly examines the safety risks it promotes - along with the attack on European farmers' competitiveness, costs and efficiency."
