991041 EU Reviews French Evidence On British BeefOctober 16, 1999Brussels - European Commission scientists were evaluating what France has claimed to be new evidence justifying its decision to maintain a ban on British beef exports. The 15 scientists are part of an international group set up to advise the EU executive on issues related to mad cow disease or BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy). It is purely an advisory committee with no powers itself, but is used by the Commission as a basis for decision-making. It remains unclear whether the group will be in a position after the meeting to make a clear recommendation -- either that there is nothing new in France's report, or that the dossier should be passed to the EU's main scientific committee, scheduled to meet next on October 28. “There is really nothing I can say until the meeting is over,” Commission spokesman Jonathan Faull told the EU's daily press briefing. The Commission lifted its 3-1/2 year worldwide embargo on British beef on August 1, following approval by EU scientists and ministers. Only France and Germany have yet to pass the necessary national legislation bringing them into line with that decision. The meeting comes on the eve of a summit of EU leaders in Finland, where Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair has pledged to tell his French counterpart Lionel Jospin that France's action is unacceptable. “If we are to benefit from Europe, we all have to respect its rules,” Blair's spokesman said on Wednesday. The Commission has already said one of France's claims that British beef could not be regarded as totally safe for another two years was based on a misreading of a report published by EU scientists earlier this year. It said French fears that the incidence of BSE could not be fully measured until 2001 were based on an evaluation of the risks associated with cattle aged over 30 months, whereas Britain's export scheme allows only meat from animals aged between six and 30 months. Britain has culled nearly four million cattle as part of its Over Thirty Months Scheme, which ensures that no animals over that age enter the human food chain.
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