Euro-MPs to quiz Byrne on French ban
15 December 1999
Euro-MPs to quiz Byrne on French ban
By FWi staff
THE French ban on British beef will be discussed by MEPs meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today (Wednesday).
Food safety commissioner David Byrne will answer questions on the ban from MEPs the day after British politicians staged a walk-out in protest against France.
More than 80 British MPs walked out of the new European parliament building during an opening ceremony by French president Jacques Chirac.
The commission had earlier issued a “reasoned opinion” giving France five days to lift its ban or face legal action in the European Court of Justice.
The parliament will also host a debate on a compulsory EU-wide labelling of beef, although only Britain, France and Spain are thought to be ready for the move.
Earlier, ministers reacted angrily to claims by French prime minister Lionel Jospin that Britain rejected a secret deal to allowed a partial lifting of the beef ban.
Mr Jospin had offered to allow grass-fed British beef – primarily from Scottish herds – to be exempt from the French boycott.
Scottish minister Brian Wilson and the Scottish National Farmers Union president Jim Walker accused Mr Jospin of driving a wedge through British policy.
UK agriculture minister Nick Brown said all EU states other than France had now taken steps to allow British beef back into their shops.
Meanwhile, a consignment of British bull semen will leave for Australia as trade in non-meat bovine products continues to recover from the BSE crisis.
The 2500 doses from Devon cattle, worth £12,500, is the first export since Australia banned the import of genetic material from UK herds because of BSE.
Rob Wills from UK Genetics, the company responsible for the deal, told BBC Radio 4 that the move was “mould-breaking” and important for cattle and sheep genetics.
Many Australians preferred the qualities of British semen because American cattle breeders are more concerned with marbling than growth and muscling.
Before the BSE crisis, the annual trade in bull semen was worth £1 million.