Brussels puts millions behind beef

23 May 2001



Brussels puts millions behind beef

By Philip Clarke, Europe editor

BRUSSELS has approved a 10 million (6.2m) promotion programme to help restore confidence in the European Unions beef and veal markets.

The new measure replaces the old Quality Beef Promotion scheme, which was abandoned last autumn when BSE sent EU markets into free-fall.

The scheme is divided into two parts. It aims to boost consumer confidence by telling shoppers about traceability and national labelling schemes.

A promotional campaign will start as soon as beef consumption stops falling with “positive messages about how beef is good to eat”, say scheme guidelines.

National organisations from individual member states are invited to tender for funds under the scheme by 25 June. Campaigns will commence in September.

The 10m from Brussels will make up 60% of the total cost of national promotions, with member states funding the remaining 40%.

Peter Hardwick, the Brussels-based director of the Meat and Livestock Commission, said Britain in the past received about 1m under the old scheme.

“Based on our experience, we were able to tell the commission that quality beef does not suffer so badly in a crisis. It is the lesser cuts that need the help.”

The announcement of the new scheme comes at a time when EU beef markets appear to be over the worst of the BSE crisis.

Latest figures from the commission show that demand in May was about 10% down on pre-crisis levels, compared with 18% in April and 23% in March.

Young bull and veal prices were also healthier, (down 19% and 0% respectively), though cows remain 25% lower than last November.

“During the first four months of this year, about 475,000t of beef were withdrawn from the market,” said European farm commissioner Franz Fischler.

About 200,000t are now stored in public intervention, he added.

But a many animals are still being held back on farms, consumption remains low down and a about 65% of the EU export market remains blocked.

On a more positive note, Russia has reopened its borders to EU beef.

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