EU beef ban a foolish measure
3 December 1999
EU beef ban ‘a foolish measure’
THE top civil servant at the ministry of agriculture attacked the European Unions worldwide export ban on British beef as “a foolish measure” yesterday (Thursday).
Richard Packer, permanent secretary, described the European Unions move as “disproportionate” since Britain had already taken “satisfactory” measures to protect consumers.
Mr Packer, giving evidence to the BSE inquiry, defended measures taken by his department to protect consumers before and after the government announced a link between BSE in cattle and the human form of the disease.
He insisted that if the European Commission had been unhappy with the measures it could have imposed tougher ones.
Ministers expect to receive the findings of the inquiry by March next year.
- Conservative Government rejected BSE inquiry, FWi, 13 November, 1998
- BSE safety ignored in 1995, FWi, 24 September, 1998
- The Daily Telegraph 03/12/99 page 14
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