Ae is carried by animals including foxes and dogs and can be fatal to humans. At the moment Britain has tight controls which has kept this country free of the disease. However that ban may be lifter if the EC has it's way. The tight control allows Britain to insist that all dogs entering the UK are wormed. This regulation could be lifted. DEFRA are in conversation with their EC counterparts with regard to long term tape worm regulation for pet entering the UK. DEFRA Minister Henley said (quote) "We recognise that without our current treatment regime there would be an increased risk of disease introduction and the disease could become established in the UK rodent or fox population"
It takes between 10 - 15 years for the disease to be diagnosed and by then the liver is severely damaged and 90% of patients die. In Switzerland, a smaller country than ours with fewer fox's, the death toll is between 20 & 30 people per annum. The UK could expect 10 times that number.

Alveolar echinococcosis Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments and Causes - WrongDiagnosis.com

If you know your MP, (like I do) or visit one of their surgeries, ask them to ask the questions of the DEFRA ministers and keep the pressure on to keep our tight controls.