France to keep UK beef ban despite threat of heavy fines

Date: 18/07/02

FRANCE was adamant last night (17 July) that it has no immediate plans to lift its ban on British beef, even though it faces a €158,000 daily fine for disregarding a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

The European Commission yesterday asked the ECJ to impose the penalty on France for failing to comply with an order to lift the ban, which was confirmed last December. Other member states lifted restrictions in 1999.

However, a spokesman for the French agriculture ministry said: 'At this stage there is no new element to allow us to lift the embargo.'

The Luxembourg-based ECJ is not obliged to accept the Commission's recommendation and could impose a lesser fine. It is likely to take some months to reach a decision.

France maintains that its veterinary experts are still concerned that British beef may be contaminated with mad cow disease (BSE). 'This fine will send a shock wave down the spine of every bureaucrat sitting in a dingy desk in Paris,' said Simon Murphy, leader of UK Labour MEPs. 'There's nothing like a hundred thousand pound penalty burning a hole in your pocket to concentrate the mind.'

Meanwhile, Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler gave a robust defence of his proposals for reforming the Common Agricultural Policy during a visit to the UK yesterday.

His suggestions received a critical reception from the farm ministers of most member states earlier this week.

Fischler rejected claims that his call for a €300,000 ceiling on the subsidies an individual farm can receive would place large holdings at a competitive disadvantage.

'Under the current system single landowners or farms can receive millions of euros of public support every year,' he said. 'Capping farm aids is justifiable on the ground that large farms would be able to benefit from economies of scale.'

France was adamant on 17 July 2002 that it has no immediate plans to lift its ban on British beef, even though it faces a €158,000 daily fine for disregarding a ruling by the European Court of Justice.