Cryptic messages of fish, zips and additives

Date: 13/06/1996

Fresh from the 'Now I have heard everything' department: tuna has loins. Or to put it another way, tunas have loins.

Entre Nous knows this to be true because of a cryptic message an official smuggled out of a crucial meeting of fisheries experts - and he should know what he is talking about.

It reads: “Ill-tempered meeting results in new presidency compromise. Tuna loins footnote to be deleted. Shrimps duty slightly reduced. Exotic fish and squat lobster to be added at UK request.” Say no more.

Perhaps the following minute from the Coreper deputy ambassadors' meeting on 7 June was written by the same author. It reads: “Unsuccessful German attempt to amend Council minutes' statement to refer to zips as well as buttons.” Intriguing stuff.

And, finally from Coreper this week: “Coreper had before it a presidency compromise which would authorise use in the Community of an additive of Philippines origin under the name Processed Eucheuma Seaweed and number E407a. The original Commission proposal was to call the additive Alternatively Refined Carrageenan, while some member states (notably France, Portugal, Denmark and Ireland) and the European Parliament had asked to number it E408.”

So now you know.