French to decide on our beef this week

6 December 1999



French to decide on our beef this week

By FWi staff

A DECISION by the French food safety agency on whether it believes the ban on British beef should be lifted is expected within the next two days.

While the agency had recommended France continue a boycott after the EU lifted the ban in August, and in October returned a unanimous verdict reiterating this, there is optimism scientists will now change their minds.

The UK and France agreed a “protocol of understanding”, drawn up by the European Commission last month. This clarifies key measures being taken in the UK to safeguard against the spread of BSE.

It includes steps taken under the Date-Based Export Scheme, which led to the lifting of the EU ban, plus an assurance that France will be able to 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.

Once the ban is lifted, EU legal action launched against France last month would halt.