The European Commission said this week it hoped Washington would drop EUR100-million worth of sanctions imposed on Union exports to the US…

Date: 25/05/2000

...after insisting that the EU now had sufficient scientific evidence to justify its ban on hormone-treated beef. The Commission said an scientific advisory committee had confirmed its view that one substance - 17 beta oestradiol - should be banned permanently while five others should be prohibited temporarily. But the proposal was dismissed by US cattle producers as "almost laughable".