French defiant over beef ban
19 December 2001
French defiant over beef ban
By Philip Clarke in Brussels
FRENCH farm minister Jean Glavany has given his clearest indication yet that he will not rush to lift the ban on British beef.
Speaking to journalists in Brussels on Wednesday (19 December), Mr Glavany insisted that his number-one priority was to protect the interests of French consumers.
He also struck out at the UKs “poor performance” in implementing European Union rules designed to control BSE.
An inspection by European officials in June had found certain weaknesses in the UKs surveillance programmes, he said.
“That is not a spectacular encouragement for lifting our trade embargo.”
Mr Glavany asked why everyone was criticising France, accusing the UK of breaking EU law by refusing to test all over-30-month animals for BSE.
He denied that the UK had a derogation – even though over-30-month animals do not enter the human food chain.
The UK recently started tests on those animals born between August 1996 and 1997. Mr Glavany wanted to see the results of these tests first.
The European Court of Justice last week found France was acting illegally in banning British beef approved under the date-based export scheme.
The Commission told France it must now lift the ban or face heavy fines.
- France ruling – what the papers say, FWi, 14 December, 2001
- Lift beef ban now, France told, FWi, 14 December, 2001
- France ordered to end beef ban, FWi, 13 December, 2001
- NFU confident French to lose action, FWi, 11 December, 2001