French to decide on beef this week


7 December 1999



French to decide on beef this week

By FWi staff

FRENCH prime minister Lionel Jospin has insisted he will make a decision on his countrys refusal to lift its ban on British beef later this week.

Mr Jospin made the pledge after Frances food safety agency when it returned an “inconclusive” verdict on the safety of British beef.

France has until Thursday (9 December) to meet a European deadline and make a decision on whether to finally accept British beef imports.

Brussels has threatened to embark on the next stage of legal action if Frances verdict does not satisfy the European Commission.

But BBC Online reports Mr Jospin as saying his government will take a decision soon, “which is its responsibility.”

A British Government responded: “We are looking forward to hearing from the French government how they intend to proceed.”

The UK and France have already agreed a “protocol of understanding” which clarifies key measures taken by the UK against BSE.

The protocol details steps taken under the Date-Based Export Scheme, which led to the lifting of the EU ban in August and assurances that France could label British beef.

The document summarises clarifications on traceability, controls, tests, and derived products, and states that the commission will carry out, from next year, on-the-spot checks on UK farms.

But the French food safety agency said on Monday (6 December) that there was no scientific certainty about the removal of BSE.

European food safety commissioner David Byrne described the Agencys declaration as “rather balanced” although others see it as inconclusive.

Mr Byrne has met government ministers from two of the German regional authorities still opposed to their country lifting its ban on British beef.

The commissioner said that German procedures were under way to lift the ban, but said there were serious misconceptions in some parts of Germany.

Four of Germanys 16 federal states, which are responsible for food safety, still oppose lifting the ban.

Last week, Berlin indicated the ban may not be lifted until February after health minister Andrea Fischer said she was not “100% satisfied” about the safety of British beef.

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