UK hopes of early end to beef ban likely to be dashed

Date: 02/05/1996

BRITISH hopes that parts of the ban on UK beef exports imposed because of fears over BSE could be lifted as early as next week are unlikely to be realised.

While UK officials have expressed optimism that the restrictions on exports of gelatine, tallow and semen could be eased after next Tuesday's (7 May) meeting of the EU's Standing Veterinary Committee, other member states have indicated progress is likely to be slow. A number of delegations, led by Germany, appear to have ruled out the rapid exemption of specific beef-based products.

Despite UK Agriculture Minister Douglas Hogg's fighting talk, two days of negotiations in Luxembourg this week made it abundantly clear that the ban will only be eased on a

step-by-step basis, once London has provided convincing proof that anti-BSE measures are up and running and proven to be effective. While EU vets accepted the principles of the UK's planned selective slaughter scheme, ministers endorsed their calls for a strengthened programme to cover a larger number of animals.

Having gone into this week's meeting with his Union counterparts in search of a firm timetable for the ban to be lifted, Hogg left armed only with a statement vague even by the standards of agriculture ministers.

A combination of plans already implemented and the as yet unspecified “additional measures” would, ministers agreed, “form part of a process which should allow the export ban to be progressively lifted on a step-by-step basis”. But there was no clear definition of precisely what these extra measures should be.

Hogg did, however, at least succeed in toning down the Council's demands. The final statement referred to “a case for” rather than the “necessity of” extra measures.

Much will depend on the effectiveness of British slaughter policies and the findings of the next EU inspection mission to the UK. A report on last week's investigation was critical of existing British monitoring measures.

Although the slack in this year's farm budget is fast running out, Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler nevertheless pledged to come forward with proposals for extra support for the sector by the next meeting of farm ministers on 20-21 May.

In the draft budget for 1997, an additional 505 million ecu has been put aside for beef support linked to the crisis, on top of the 370 million earmarked for slaughter plans.