This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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French food report says British beef is safe
20/09/2002
The French food standards agency (AFSSA) has published a
report concluding that British beef is at least as safe as
other beef on the French market.
Minister for Environment and Rural development Ross
Finnie welcomed
the AFSSA report which accepts that there is now no
negligible difference in the safety of DBES beef and beef
available on the market in France.
Exports of beef to Europe under the Date Based Exports
Scheme (DBES) resumed in 1999. All Member States - except
France - are prepared to accept it. The European Court of
Justice ruled this illegal last year and imposed a daily
penalty on the French Government in June this year.
The Minister for Environment and Rural Development
said:
"I am pleased that the AFFSA report concludes that
British beef is at least as safe as other beef on the
French market.
"This confirms our original view that the French ban on
our prime Scotch beef was unwarranted, should never have
been imposed, and should now be removed.
"I call on the French government to heed this report and
lift their illegal beef ban without delay."
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on 13 December
2001 that the French ban was illegal. On 17 July 2002, the
Commission stated that it would be referring the case back
to the Court with a recommendation that it should impose
substantial fines on the French Government for
non-compliance with the ECJ ruling. The Commission asked
the Court to impose a fine of 158,250 Euros (about
£100,000) a day.
On 13 June 2002 the French Government asked AFSSA for an
opinion on the relative safety of British beef as compared
with other beef on the French market. Under French law the
Government cannot amend legislation in respect of the ban
on British beef - or any other food safety related matter -
without first obtaining an opinion from AFSSA. The report
will now be discussed by French Ministers; the French
Government is likely to respond to the report in 2
weeks.
AFSSA issued two previous opinions on British beef
exported under the Date Based Export Scheme in 1999.
Exports of British beef under the Date-based Export
Scheme have resumed following changes to the Scheme
formally agreed in Brussels on 20 August in Commission
Decision 2002/670/EC. These changes make the export scheme
more accessible, as both DBES eligible and ineligible beef
can be processed in approved establishments on the basis
that processing occurs at different times. Previously,
establishments were required to handle only DBES eligible
cattle and beef even for output destined for the domestic
market. Currently one plant in Wales is DBES approved.
Other plants across the UK, including Scotland, are in the
process of obtaining approval status.